Mercies in Disguise
by JennieJoy72
Summary: <html><head></head>Lee and Amanda are faced with trials in the marriage. First with Amanda keeping secrets and then again when one of their children are violently attacked. Please as always read and review, but know that the rating for this is high due to the violent attack in a future chapter. Please read with caution and care. Thank you.</html>
1. Chapter 1

I would like to thank Lanie Sullivan for her help with the beginning of this story.

Lee and Amanda face some trials as their marriage is tested more than once; first at the hand of Amanda for a secret. Again after one of their children are painfully attacked. Will their marriage fall to the way side or will they realize even in the face of evil that sometimes it is just….

**Mercies in Disguise**

Fifteen year old Matthew Stetson sat along with his twin sister Jennifer working on homework when they both heard the car doors slam and immediately the yelling voices of their parents. Both knew that this was becoming the norm for their parents. At least three times a week they were fighting even when their voices weren't raised as they were now.

They heard the front door slam followed by the rest of what ever had started between the two before arriving home. "I don't give a damn Lee! I am not having this conversation again. You know better than anyone in this job if you are asked, by the President, you damn well better do it! I wasn't asked to go to the talks! I was ordered to go help cover security for his family. That means I have twenty four hours to pack and be ready to leave when that car comes to gets me. It is a two week assignment for crying out loud!"

"In Afghanistan Amanda; I will not let you go to that country with all the hostility going on there! You are a woman, an American woman at that; what safety precautions will you have while working to keep the President's family safe? They have the Secret Service for the President and family detail."

"Well, let me tell YOU something; if YOU had wanted the ability to pick and choose my assignments than maybe YOU should have stayed at the Agency. YOU could have stayed and continued to assign me cases where the worst thing that could ever happen to me is a damn paper cut!" Throwing her hands up in the air Amanda stormed out of the room and headed upstairs to pack; slamming the door on her husband and all the tension she had brought into their lives. She knew the problems in her marriage were her fault. This assignment was a blessing and a curse. The blessing ironically was getting away from her husband for two weeks; the curse was getting away from her husband for two weeks.

The ringing of the phone jarred her back to the task at hand. She continued to pack and just as she was making sure she had her passport ready Lee walked in. What she saw in his eyes worried her. "Lee?" She said as he came toward and pulled her into his arms. _Jamie_ she thought something must have happened to him on his assignment.

"Amanda, that was Emily's lawyer on the phone; she passed away this morning." His normally strong voice sounded soft and pained telling her about Emily's death. Amanda knew how close she was with Lady Emily Farnsworth but it was nothing compared to Lee's connection to Emily. Holding her husband closer she began to cry at the loss of their friend. "How is this possible? What happened?"

"Time; she died of natural causes. She just went to sleep last night and was found this morning. Her lawyer said the services are being held early next week. We were requested to be present at the service as well as the reading of her will."

Knowing she could conceivably be killing the last few years of her career, Amanda walked over to the phone, calling the President's secretary to inform him she could no longer go; order or no order. "Sir, I didn't mean to disturb you. After we spoke, I had some family business come up and I am now unable to go with you. I can recommend some highly qualified agents to choose from if you agree. No, Sir, Lady Emily Farnsworth passed away this morning and I will now be flying to London with Lee to attend the services. Yes, Sir, I understand, I am grateful for the opportunity although…"

Amanda stopped talking and after a few minutes she said, "Yes, Sir, I will take care of that as soon as we hang up the phone. Goodbye, Sir." Lee watched as Amanda hung the phone up and without really looking at him, she told him she would be back later.

"Mom, is everything okay?" Matt asked as he saw his mother leave the house crying. Matt knew whatever that phone call was; it had his Dad upset as well. On the up side Matt thought whatever the phone call was, it got his parents to stop yelling at each other.

Jennie found her father sitting alone in the study. Tapping on the door she boldly asked, "Are you and Mom getting a divorce?" Lee looked at his daughter and said, "Not that I am aware of; why do you ask? Do you know something I don't?"

Sitting on the only clean spot on his desk she said, "For the last six months I can count on one hand the decent conversations you two have had together. Now you come home fighting _again,_ mom leaves crying, and you are in here withdrawn and quiet. You are only withdrawn like this when something major is on your mind. What could be bigger then you and Mom getting a divorce? We aren't blind, we know that you guys aren't happy, oh and just in case you hadn't noticed we aren't babies either. We will be sixteen in two months and we don't need a babysitter if you two want a night out or an overnight out; if you understand my meaning."

Lee understood her meaning he just wasn't comfortable with his teenage daughter suggesting he and her mother needed a sexual date night; although in the back of his mind it didn't sound half bad. He wasn't about to admit that to her though; being the over protected father he was he cleared his throat and said, "What makes you think that your mother and I need an overnight date night? How do you even know about overnight date nights; you don't even date?"

Smiling his own smile back at him she said, "I took health they explained those things, so did Mom. My non-dating habits are not being called into question here. I elect not to date. It isn't like I haven't been asked out a million times." Lee raised his eyebrows at this new found knowledge into his daughter's life. Jennie continued to talk, "Matt and I have been talking; we don't want you guys to spilt-up. If that is the only way you two are going to be happy again; do what you have to do. Either be the loving parents toward each other we grew up with or be happy somewhere else. I would rather have two happy parents in different homes than the two I have had for the last six months in this house."

"Jennifer, I can tell you in no uncertain terms that without your mother I wouldn't function real well. We are not getting a divorce. We just are not communicating well right now; it happens from time to time in a marriage, but I assure you leaving is out of the question. Her job is getting more and more dangerous and I am afraid for her."

"Dad, then why don't you just go and back her up? If it were you that had to do this assignment, what would you tell Mom?"

"I would tell her the same thing she told me; that I was being ordered to do a job and I would be home soon. Unfortunately, I can't just back her up on a Presidential assignment."

"Daddy, we know that the job is for the safety of millions of people every day, but it still just a job. I think you both have such a big heart helping others that you forget to help yourself and each other. You guys have always had a uniformed alliance. You were partners before you were married. I would think that would make you a stronger couple; what happened six months ago? Both of your lives are classified so now you two have to decide how to fix it; fix that and you two will fix everything else."

Lee sat looking at his youngest child knowing that she was as logical as her mother and that made her wiser then her young years. It reminded him of Jamie when Jamie busted him and Amanda on their marriage and jobs. Jennie sat there a few more minutes before saying, "I love you, but I have to go figure out the sixties and war verses peace."

"Peace is always the nicer option." Lee told her as she reached the door.

"Yeah but sometimes in war you just have to shove a boot in the enemies as…"

"Do not finish that sentence young lady." Lee scolded by wagging his finger at her. He knew that was one more thing his daughter had gotten from him; she had a bit of a vulgar vocabulary.

Turning Jennie replied, "Whoever said I was a lady, they lied to you. If I have heard it once, I have heard it a million times; out of all the men in this family I can out curse, out run, and out fight any of you; does that sound like a lady to you? I think I will go for my run then figure out peace, love, and war after dinner; I will be back soon. I love you, Daddy."

Lee smiled as his daughter left, "I love you too, Princess. Hey, be careful it is supposed to rain."

"I always do." Jennie said as she went to her room to change into her running clothes.

Amanda came back two hours later with her hands full with files as Lee happened to be coming down the stairs while she was walking in the door. "Whoa there, let me help you with those, honey." Lee went to take the files from her and as he did his fingers slid across her chest. Amanda flinched at his touch and it didn't go unnoticed. Stiffening his posture he took the files and sat them inside the office.

"Dinner is almost ready, that is if you are ready to eat." He told her and started to walk away. She stopped him and said, "This isn't your fault."

"What isn't my fault? That nothing I say or do is right? That I love you so much that I don't want you to go to a damn country that won't care what happens to you? That when I touch you, you get a look of disgust on your face and pull away from me? That I had to convince our daughter we aren't getting a divorce."

"Lee, why would you have to convince Jennie we aren't getting a divorce?" The concern rising in her voice.

Lee looked at his wife and running his hands through his hair and softening his tone he said, "You tell me, Amanda. Are we? I love you more today than the day I met you. For the last six months you push me away, you tell me everything you are working on is classified to a point that I can't know about it; please remember you are still a bad liar." A loud crack of thunder boomed and Amanda felt herself shake at the sound and then the flashes of lighting came right before the rain began to fall in sheets. Lee went and looked out the window and then yelled for Matt.

"Yeah, what do you need, Dad? I am on the phone with Kristi."

"Is your sister home yet?"

"Not that I am aware of. You know how she gets when she is out running. She loses all track of time." Lee went to tell Amanda that they needed to go look for her just as Jennie came in the door soaking wet from the downpour.

"Are you okay Jennie?" Amanda said while Lee walked over to her and began looking her over. Pulling from him and laughing she said, "I'm fine; shouldn't I be asking you and Dad that?"

"We will be; no, I mean we are fine." Amanda stammered.

"Mom, you are such a bad liar; it's like me trying to lie." Walking from away from her parents she saw her brother at the top of the stairs. She locked eyes with him and the look on his face told her they had been fighting again.

"Is dinner ready? I am starving." Jennie went to go toward the kitchen as her father stopped her and said, "No dice little girl, shower then eat your dinner."

"What are all those files you brought home?" Lee asked as Jennie climbed the stairs and he and Amanda went to set the table for the four of them. Taking a deep breath she said, "We will talk about those after dinner. When do we leave for London?"

"Saturday night; it was the earliest flight." Amanda walked over to Lee and put her arms around him and relaxed in his arms for the first time in months. "Lee, it hasn't even been a year since we lost Billy; now Emily"

"I know, I know; why don't we go get the kids together and eat dinner?" He said taking pleasure in the fact she was in his arms and allowing him to comfort her.

"Sounds like a plan." Smiling up at him she leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

Dinner at the Stetson table was quiet; no one talking. Jennie and Matt continued to look from each other to their parents. Jennifer, as usual, was the one to break the silence. "This is such bullshit." Slamming her fork down and glaring toward her parents.

Amanda snapped her head up and scolded her daughter's language. "Jennifer Stetson, you will watch your language!"

"Do you have a better word for our happy family dynamic?" Jennifer gave her mother the same look that her mother was giving her. Unlike her brother's she had no problem speaking her mind. "You and Dad don't speak to each other; you yell."

"Jennifer, that is enough; you don't speak to your Mother that way." Lee scolded as he set his fork down and looked at her.

"Am I always wrong, Mom, because I am so much like Dad and I remind you of a husband that you hate?"

Matt spoke up next and said, "Jennie, she doesn't hate him; I wish you would stop saying that."

"What do you know about any of it? You hide in your music room in the garage so you don't have to hear their fighting. I hear it all the time. Now here we are finally having a "family dinner" and no one is saying anything; only looking at each other."

"Jennifer, you may now be excused, you have also earned yourself a week's worth of extra chores, and being grounded. You will go nowhere except home and school."

"You can't do that. I have practice all week after school and a met on Saturday in Georgetown."

Amanda looked at Lee as if asking for his help and he said, "Then you should have thought about your words before you said them. Your mother is right in her punishment. I stand by her."

Rolling her eyes she stood up, grabbed her plate and glass and looked at her father and said sarcastically, "Of course you do." She then walked out and threw her plate and glass in the sink shattering them as she began crying as she cleaned up the mess.

Lee and Amanda looked at Matt and Lee asked, "Is there anything you would like to get off your chest?"

Looking at his parents he said, "Not if it is going to get me grounded. I have a recital Wednesday and I won't miss it."

Amanda said, "If you can tell us what you are thinking and feeling in a logical and polite manner then you have nothing to worry about."

"Jennie is right; this is bull. I do stay in the music room to not hear you two fighting. She and I are just scared that you two are going to get a divorce. What else are we going to think?"

"We are not getting a divorce!" Amanda exclaimed.

"That is really good to know. I really don't want to see my parents' get divorced for a second time." Phillip said as he and his two children came in the dining room.

"Hello, where is Katie?" Amanda asked as Phillip bent to kiss her and then hand his daughter off to Lee while his son went to sit next to Matt.

"She is in the kitchen with Jennie, who is crying. What happened? Jennie doesn't cry." Phillip asked.

"Amanda and I have been going through a rough patch and Jennie thinks the worst. I am glad you stopped by though. We have to fly to London Saturday and will be gone for about a week; can you and Katie stay here with the twins. It would work out since you can take them to school with you."

"Katie and the kids will be in Vermont then; they leave in two days so I guess I can stay here. Why? Where is Jamie at?" Philip asked.

"He isn't due back from Italy for three weeks and Joe and Carrie are on vacation too. Lady Farnsworth passed away this morning and her lawyer called your Dad and said we needed to be there."

"Italy huh, I think I picked the wrong profession. As an agent Jamie has been to some of the most exciting places and I teach high school and coach football and track."

"Which has kept you happily married for so long, Mr. King; so if I were you I would remember that." Katie said as she entered the room.

"Yes, Mrs. King, I will remember that; besides I married a very extremely rich woman if I want exotic travels."

"Mommy, I have to potty." Her daughter said as she climbed off of Lee's lap.

"You know where the bathroom is; wash your hands." Katie said after her daughter.

"Dad, do you really think we need a sitter?" Matt asked as Jennie walked in sitting between her Mother and oldest brother. Reaching over and taking her mother's hand Jennie smiled brightly when her Mother held it tightly. Just as Jennie held her mother's hand and knew they would talk, Amanda knew her daughter was Lee made over; blow up, calm down and finally talk calmly.

"Daddy, you and Mom always say I am the best home defense; as long as I am conscious." Jennie said.

"Yeah, I have a quarterback with a broken nose that can attest to that fact." Phillip said.

Smiling brightly Jennie said, "What? All I did was showed him the true meaning of what it means to 'stick it' in gymnastics; he did ask my friend for a personal demonstration." Lee and Amanda looked at one another and then looked at Phillip and at the same time said, "She what; when?"

Phillip knew that tone and was surprised it still made him set up straight and feel the need to work harder in school, "It was about a week ago and I handled it."

"Back to the subject at hand, yes, Matt, I want Phillip to stay with you two. Now it has nothing to do with not trusting you two. If we were gone overnight or even a weekend; possibly, but the law and your age doesn't really go together as to if we can leave you alone."

"Can I at least stay with a friend then?" Matt asked.

"Who would you want to stay with for a week besides me?" Phillip asked.

"Colton Wicks."

"Lee, I can call his mother and see if it is okay if he stays next week. I know they are working on a project together." Amanda said.

"That is fine; you are grounded so it is you and Phillip next week."

Jennie just nodded and sat closer to her mother; reveling in the feel of her mother's arm around her.

Later that night when everyone was gone Amanda knocked on Jennie's door and said, "Can I come in so we can talk now?"

"Yes, can I start by saying that I would like to apologize for my bad language but not why I said it?"

"You can as long as it is the truth. I want you to know that your Dad and I are not getting a divorce; not now, not ever."

"Then why can't you get through a day without fighting?"

Amanda knew she couldn't get in to all of it with Jennie before she had a chance to explain it to Lee. "Jennie, while I can't tell you why, I can tell you that it is all my fault and your father and you kids have been just innocent bystanders. I am going to fix it while I am in London with your father."

"Does it have to do with your job?"

"It does; it has to do with a case that happened before your father and I got married. It was during that case when your father asked me to marry him."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Lee saw Amanda as she was leaving Jennie's room to head downstairs toward the study. He followed her and asked, "Amanda, do you want something to drink?"

She jumped slightly and turned to him, "You would think after twenty years that wouldn't still happen. You scared me I didn't know you were back there."

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to sneak up on you, you said you wanted to talk, and I wanted to know if you wanted something to drink."

"Sure how about some wine you, on the other hand, might want something stronger for this conversation." Amanda turned from him and began to fix the files on her desk neatly and in some kind of orderly fashion. Lee left to go get them their drinks wondering what in the world could be so bad for her to tell him. Did she have an affair?

Lee came in setting her wine on the edge of the desk, as he did he saw pictures of her that he had never seen before, even though he knew where they were from. "Why are these here?"

"Lee, please sit down. I need to tell you something and I need for you to understand." She already saw his fear and questions in his eyes.

"Amanda, just tell me the truth; what is going on? Those pictures are from the Addi Birol case."

"For the last five months I have been going to visit with Addi Birol. When Lee sat waiting for her she continued, "As you well know, when an inmate becomes eligible for a possible parole the agent or agents involved are notified. They are allowed to visit and speak with the prisoner to decide if they feel they have been reformed and give only their opinion to the board and judges."

"Yes, Amanda, I know that, but what does that have to do with you and Addi Birol? Those photos are evidence photos from that case; even though I haven't seen some of them." He stated tensely.

Ignoring his statement about the photos she went one, "Not long after Billy passed away a letter came to the office for Agent Stetson. It was automatically brought to me, seeing as how I am the only Agent Stetson now. I immediately knew the letter had been intended for you; it was in reference to the possible parole of Addi Birol. I read the letter over and over trying to figure out the math and if it could even be possible that he could be up for parole. He was sentenced to life. I just couldn't understand. I know I should have brought you the letter and allowed you to handle it; but I just couldn't."

"No, Amanda, you mean you just wouldn't. The question I have is why did you feel you felt you could not bring this to me? I was the senior agent on that case; this was mine to deal with." Lee spat out.

"I know how some of these cases have affected you. I knew for a fact that Birol's case would send you over the edge. I knew your visits would not be objective and in line for what was needed." Grabbing the scotch Lee refilled his glass and said, "What is that supposed to mean Amanda?"

"Lee, when Ava came up for parole you visited with her for three months before her hearing. In those three months you were distant, introverted, much like you were when I first met you. At her hearing, you gave a recommendation to release her and they did. Can you tell me in all honesty if you know you made the right decision based on facts or emotions?"

"I made my decision based on the facts I gathered during interviews with Ava and all other parties involved. I also know she hasn't been involved in any espionage or you and the Agency would have heard about it. If they are released they are put on a watch dog list for several years."

"Then why on the Redding case did you make all the required visits then recommended he not be released. Would that have anything to do with fact that he hired a woman, put her through numerous surgeries to look like me and then act like me have any to do with it?"

"Amanda, what kind of life would he of had on the outside? His mind wasn't right. One visit he would know who I was the next he thought for some odd reason I was his dead brother and he would talk of the revenge we would have on those that have hurt us. No, he probably didn't deserve to die in prison after all those years but I thought it was best that he at least be in a safer environment where he wouldn't get hurt."

"Lee, I know why you did it I am just saying I don't agree with all the choices you have made in some of your findings."

"You wouldn't have recommend release for Ava would you? Would that have that anything to do with the fact that she and I were lovers and I wanted to marry her?" Lee countered her in her thinking.

"No, for the record I never trusted her from the moment I met her. I think if you had made all the required visits that you would have realized she is just a sleeper cell waiting for the perfect time to be awakened. Now about Addi Birol; let me start off by saying I had every intention of telling you about that letter when it first came."

"What happened on the way home from the office that it took you six months to tell me?" He said sarcastically.

"Okay you just let me know when you are ready for me to explain and I will." She sat with her arms folded over her chest. She was on the verge of tears but she would be damned if she was going to cry now. She wanted to save their marriage and come clean about everything and he wanted to snip. Sure she thought he had a right and she knew he would more before it was all over but at the moment she didn't find it helpful to their conversation.

"Go ahead, I 'm listening. I really am listening." The only thing about Lee really listening was that neither he nor Amanda knew they had an audience outside; their two youngest children.

"I made the choice not to tell you before I got home with the letter. The more I thought about it I wanted to be the one to decide his fate this time. I wanted to go and show him out of all the things he did to me while being held that he may have bent me but he never broke me. I wanted him to know that I was fine. He failed."

Lee sat and tried to decide if his wife was trying to convince him or herself. "Amanda, are you sure he failed? I know how it was for you those first few days after we got you back."

"Lee, do you think I don't know how I was? All I wanted was my family and you back. When I did get all of you back it scared me at how close I was to losing the people I love the most. It really sunk in afterwards that he wasn't just messing with my mind and body, he was messing with yours and everyone else too."

Walking toward her he put his arms around her and held her as tears began to fall. "I don't know why I am so emotional over this. We have been through some pretty tough spots and I have held it together. Why is he the one that seems to be what will tear us apart?"

Kissing the top of her head Lee answered, "He only tears us apart if we let him. It seems like you were letting him; what changed why tell me now and not until after the hearing?"

"Nothing I have always intended to tell you everything. Like I was saying before my intentions were set to be nothing but fair and objective. The first few visits I never even saw him, but he knew I was there and that it had to do with him. He would see me walking around, watch who I was talking with, noticing my recorder for the ones that allowed me to record our conversations."

"I bet he loved that; seeing you there and knowing he couldn't touch you or hurt you."

Laughing nervously she said, "I could feel his eyes on me at times and in the pit of my stomach I could feel everything he subjected me to all over again. That is why I didn't start with him in my interviews. I had to build up a resistance to him for when we came face to face. To this day I can still feel his hands and hear his voice about how he all he wanted was you. How I was just a means to your end at his hands. How he was going to sell me? How I was going to a Libyan novelty; to be paraded, raped, and whatever else they chose to do to me. About how he would make sure the boys saw what became of their mother."

Matt held Jennie close as they sat outside the door and heard all the terrible things that had happened to their mother. They both knew that when their father asked her to marry him, he was trying to rescue her from a bad situation; neither one realized to what extent their mother had been through during that time. They both just held each other and continued to listen as their mother went on.

"…then on my first visit with him he tried to get to me by saying how much of a coward you were to hide behind me; a woman. I ignored all the comments geared toward you and just asked my questions. It was by the fourth visit with him that he saw me as I am now and not as I was then. He stopped asking about you and started answering my questions. I tried to make him understand that I was one of the deciding factors of his freedom; he had to give me something really good to go on or show me he has learned from the error of his ways."

"I think I know the answer to what I am about to ask but I am going to ask anyway; how and why did his visits effect our marriage? Did he get in your head again?"

Lee had sat down and Amanda was beginning to feel better about their conversation and was beginning to relax more around him on the subject. "Every time that I went to see him all I wanted to do was come home to be in your arms. Instead I had to go back to type my notes. Then a case, a meeting, a reprimand for a freshman agent would come up; by the time I would get home, you and the kids would be knee deep in homework or projects and I would jump in to help out where I could. We would have dinner, the twins would go to bed; finally, we would get to bed. You would try to be romantic, as much as I wanted and need you, to feel you like that; that lie of not telling you about going to see Addi would eat at me. I would push you away. You would ask what was wrong and while I didn't lie, it was work related, I wasn't being truthful either."

"How many more interviews do you have with Birol?" Lee asked downing the last of his scotch.

"His hearing is set for three weeks; the day before Thanksgiving. I can have up to three more interviews before giving my report and findings."

"Amanda, hear me out before you say anything, since they don't have to be scheduled visits, you can go anytime. We leave for London on Saturday; that gives us four days to complete the final interviews. While we are in London you and I will go over all your notes and findings and prepare the report for when we get home. I, as the lead agent from the original case, will give you the option of presenting the findings to the board alone or with me present. That report, as you know, will be presented at the hearing and you will have to face him again; you can do it on your own or with the support of your partner and husband."

"How are you being so calm in all of this? You are not the calm one, Lee Stetson."

Taking a deep breath he said, "I know why you did what you did; like you said I am not the calm one. I don't think I could have looked at this case with a clear and level head. If it were up to me I would recommend that he be shot. Any man that treats a woman like that, whether it is for their own pleasure or to use them as leverage to get to another person, shouldn't be allowed to breathe the same air as that woman. I would like to hear your interviews and see the notes you have so far. I would like to ask you in your professional opinion, would you recommend his release?"

"No; he shows no sign of remorse. He continues to communicate with family members and speaks to this day of revenge on you. He knows he could have lied saying he changed and tried to show me those ways but he never did. Not once did he even make a plea or try to bargain his way out. Just to be on the safe side, I have kept all the recordings for the board to hear as well as my transcribed notes."

Jennie saw the anger building in Matt. It took a lot to get her brother mad but one thing all the men in her family had been taught was that you never put a hand on a woman and you most certainly do not put a hand on any woman in his family. She raised her hand and placed in over his heart and held her brother close. Their bond wasn't like any other in the family. Her grandmother once told her that she and Matt shared a bond that only matched their parents. Matt and Jennie didn't need words to communicate with one another. It was almost like twin ESP; they knew and felt the pain of the other at times with such clarity that they themselves would feel what was happening. She felt Matt's breathing become more controlled from before and she looked at him and whispered, "We should go now. I think they are going to be okay." Matt nodded and he knew she would laugh at his tears if she hadn't had tears in her eyes as well. "Yeah, I think they are going to be just fine now. All of us are."

Lee walked over to Amanda and asked, "Do you feel better now that you have let that off your chest?"

"Yes." She said as his fingers went to take her hair out of the clip she had holding it up. Letting his fingers glide through her hair he said, "Six months of lying and guilt are not going to go away for either of us overnight. I feel very hurt and betrayed that while I know why you did it; I think it could have been handled in a different manner." Placing a kiss on her forehead then continuing before she could say anything, "With that being said, I think while we are in London we also work on regaining some trust in one another; you use to tell me that without trust and honesty we don't have a relationship. Your fears of what I could have done over ran your logic about what I would or could have been doing all this time. I understood your reasoning for wanting to keep me from this. You also have helped tear down trust between us with that fear. You have to trust me in all things just like I have had to trust that the last six months had a reason. The hell and pain I have felt; racking my brain trying to figure out why when I touch you, you turn away from it."

"I never thought I would ever let something come between us; I am so sorry. I still love you; I still want and desire you as much as I did when I met you. I was just afraid when we got close you would see my lies and fears; I don't think I could have handled that."

Lee silenced her with a kiss; a kiss that deepened in ways neither of them had felt in months. Lee wanted to move forward but as she reached for him to come closer he pulled back. "Amanda, tonight with all I have learned I think that as much as I want to be with you; have wanted to be with you, I am going to need a little time."

She just stared into his eyes seeing all the love she had always seen before but she also saw his doubt. It was one thing she never thought she would ever see in his eyes toward her. She knew she put that doubt there and said, "What do we do now?"

"Now, well I think first we put these files away and I take advantage of a full night sleep for the first time in six months by holding you in my arms. Tomorrow," he said picking her up in her up off the floor and kissing her in between his words "we go together visiting with Birol and watch him suffer."

"I meant about us and …"

He let out a ragged breathe and barely in a whisper he said, "We are going to be just fine, Mrs. Stetson. Let's go to bed." She nodded and for the first time since either one could remember; they went upstairs to bed together.

Jennie was still awake when her parents went to bed. She was sitting on her bed thinking about everything her and her brother had heard. She knew that in the course of her parents and brother's job there is always a chance to be captured and tortured. She knew her mother was a strong woman now she sat wondering if her mother was that strong before or after her experience.

He watched as her light came back on; he could see it from where he was watching. He loved watching her. She was a tiny five foot five, sandy blonde, hazel eyed dream come true. He watched her every day during school then at her practices. He even watched while she ran alone; like tonight, or with her father. He knew her father or brothers couldn't be with her all the time and he was patient. Blowing a kiss toward her window he pulled away from his hiding spot and headed home.

A soft knock on her door made her jump as her mother walked in, "Hey, why are you still awake?" Amanda asked. Looking like Matt use to when he would get caught stealing cookies she said, "Um, well, you see, I, well, I."

"Jennie, why are you still awake? You have school tomorrow." Amanda walked over and sat next to her daughter and placed her arm around her, "Care to tell me what is on your mind?"

Avoiding her eyes Jennie said, "Matt and I knew you and Daddy were talking and we snuck down and listened."

"Wow, really and here I thought we respected each other's private conversations in this family. Did you know not everyone can have a whole conversation with someone without speaking like you and Matt can?" Smiling Jennie said, "We can't talk without talking. We just understand each other better than anyone else."

"Well, since you heard all that, do you think your father and I stand a chance at surviving things?"

"I guess I am looking at the conversation differently; I am still trying to wrap my head around your survivor skills. How did you survive that man?"

"Jennifer Stetson, I forget that you and your brother are only fifteen. I survived because I had your brothers, grandmother, and your daddy. I wasn't ready to let him win. I kept thinking that all I had to do was think about them then whatever he was doing didn't matter. I knew your father was doing all he could to find me and get me out. I had been through so much by the time Lee had gotten there that I didn't believe it was really him."

"What do you mean it wasn't really him?"

"No, it was him but I thought I was having a drug induced hallucination. Jennie, your father and I have done and seen a lot in this business. You need to remember your father had already been doing the job years before me and had already seen more than one person should have."

"Mom, do you miss having Daddy with you in the field? I think he misses being with you out there full time."

"I do miss your father with me every day but your father made a choice to leave and I respect the reasons he did."

"Why did he leave?"

The voice from the doorway made them both jump, "I wanted to be with my family. I wanted my children to know me; not know of me. Philip and Jamie thought they had lost their father and had just started calling me Dad and I wanted to live up to that title. Now I think you should really be in bed and asleep; you have school tomorrow."

"Mom, am I really grounded from my practices and my met Saturday?"

"Now that I have had more time to think about it, you are still grounded with extra chores. Instead of taking away track and cheerleading, you just have to live out your sentence for two weeks instead of one? Does that sound like a deal?"

Smiling her best Stetson smile she said, "I will take that over missing my last outdoor met. Thank you Mom, I love you. I love you Daddy."

"We love you too, Princess." They turned out her light and walked out and then went and checked on Matt. They walked in his room to find he had fallen asleep with his laptop on and Amanda picked it up off the bed, pulled his cover up and gave him a light kiss.

Back in their own room, Lee said, "So, did they hear everything?" Amanda said, "That was the impression I got. I know I still have a lot to make up for but I feel this weight off my shoulders. I just want this over."

"Amanda, I forgot to ask you something." Lee said climbing into bed and pulling her close to him.

"What is it, Sweetheart?" Amanda asked as she snuggled closer to her husband.

"How were you going to finish this up and have your notes for the hearing ready if you had to leave with the President?"

Amanda smiled and said, "I told you I already have enough information from the interviews to base my opinion and recommendation. I have all my notes typed and ready. I was planning on going to the office to arrange a messenger to take everything to the board office. Then after I talked to the President I decided that while I was at the office I would take his advice to figure out where I stood on the matter of my career."

Lee creased his brow as he looked for her to continue. After a few seconds Lee said, "A-man-da?"

Facing Lee with a smile on her face she said, "When we get home from England and we finish with Birol, we will be together every day again. The only security you and I will have to wonder about is that of our families. I am done. "


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Lee searched the field until he found what he was looking for, his daughter. She was in between her two coaches; Phillip was kneeling in front of her as Steven Anderson had her arms resting over his. "What happened; I wasn't in the bathroom that long?" He asked as he sat next to Amanda.

Matt answered before his mother got a chance, "Another runner tripped her but as Jennie rolled she ended up tripping the other girl."

"Coach Anderson, can you please tell Coach King that I am fine? No blood, nothing broken, no foul!" Jennie pleaded with her brother and his assistant coach. "Seriously, I wasn't hurt; Phillip, you know I know how to take a fall."

"I know but I still have to run through the physical checks before allowing you to race. Steve let her go and we will see how she is doing."

Steve Anderson let her go and Jennie bounced back and forth on the ball of her feet. Stepping into a clear area she did a backflip as she blew her brother a kiss and a wink before taking her starting point.

"Stetson, you know your cockiness is going to get you in serious trouble on day." Phillip called after her.

"Yes, but as my big brother I will always have you around to save me." She said laughing as she ran to take her mark.

"I know I have only been here a few months but can I ask you, is your sister always so…"

"Yes, she gets her logic and boundless energy from our mother; she gets her no fear cockiness from our dad."

"Your sister has no fear that is for certain."

"The Stetson/King curse; I didn't either until my wife had been kidnapped in high school."

Steve turned his head in disbelief at his boss and as they both turned to watch the start of the race. Jennie started out slow but as she saw her family in the crowd she did as she always did and hit the finish line first, well above her competitors.

Lee walked up to Phillip and asked, "Do you think we can go ahead and leave with Jennie? We want to get something to eat together before we leave tonight."

"That should be fine; she is done with her races today. I have two more girls to race; then I just need to go get my bag from the house and I will be over."

"We are leaving around four that should give you plenty of time to get there. Thanks again for staying with her. Just please remember that she is grounded. She is not allowed to go anywhere except school and practice."

"Got it, Dad, she is on lock down." Phillip said.

"What in the world did she do to get grounded?" Steve asked Phillip as Lee left with Jennie.

"That girl cusses like a sailor and she just happen to do it at the wrong time." Phillip answered as the two laughed as they went to watch the next race involving their team.

He was watching again. He saw when she was tripped but cheered as she knocked over the other girl who was responsible for her own fall. He smiled as she did her backflips to show she was okay and she took her mark. He was worried when she started out slow but cheered as loud as anyone when she crossed the finish line first. Hours later sitting in his car he watched as her mother and father left. They were going to be gone for a week. This was the week he had waited months for. She wasn't alone yet but at some point during this week she would be and then she would be forever his.

Jennie and Phillip were playing a game in the dining room when they heard from the doorway, "I wonder is this a private game or can anyone join in?" They looked up to find Jamie standing in the doorway holding a glass of scotch.

Jennie ran over and gave her older brother a hug and pulled him into the room to sit with them. "Yes, you can join maybe you can help me; Phillip is killing me in this game."

"Monopoly was always one of his better games. I don't think I can help, Princess." Jamie said as he rubbed his sister on her back. "Didn't you have a met today? How did it go?"

"It was our last outdoor met, I won two out of four of my races, and the school won the overall met with the most races won."

"Great job; I guess you have an awesome coach then." Looking at Phillip and smiling.

"We have two awesome coaches. Our new coach, when he was in school he was an all-city and all state winner; he was an Olympic hopeful too."

"Sounds like you have a really good man working with you there Phillip." Jamie said while slowly drinking the warm amber liquid.

"I do; he is really good with the both the girls on the track field and the boys on the football field. He seems to making at least some of my job easier. With it being football season and the end of track it is a hard time. Jennie, you have to go and get ready for bed."

"Phillip, Jamie just got here and tomorrow is Sunday."

"Hey, kiddo, I am going to be home for a while and we have church tomorrow so go get ready for bed and I will make you biscuits and gravy in the morning."

"Can we have it for lunch, I don't eat breakfast."

"I swear you are Dad made over; yes, we can have it after church." Jamie reached over and gave his sister a hug and a kiss. She left after telling Phillip goodnight. Phillip waited until he heard the shower running to ask Jamie, "Mom said you had a couple more weeks in Italy, so what brings you home?"

"I have a court date on Monday." He said as he raised his glass and finished his drink Phillip noticed the ring missing from is left ring finger.

"No wedding band part of the assignment this time?"

"No. I was in Italy strictly on an informational capacity. The missing wedding ring is due to the fact that my wife would like to move her divorce forward. Kendra came all the way to Italy to personally tell me about the court date. I couldn't say I was out-of-town and didn't receive notice."

"So this is really happening; you and Kendra are really divorcing? Can I ask what happened?" Phillip took the glass from Jamie before he refilled it for the fourth time.

"Ask her, not me. I still have no idea what happened. The best thing I can come up with is that I couldn't give her a child. All she would tell me was that our priorities were different. I told her my priorities have always been to her. She said I chose my career along with saving the world over her and our possible family. She forgets that I worked just as hard for us to have a family as I did to save the world as she put it."

Phillip sat and listened and he was taken back to his childhood and remembered things Jamie didn't from their parents' divorce. Their mother was always begging their father to stay with them. His father's response was that his work was making it better for people to have the advantages and families like they had. His mother always cried so hard after their father left.

"Jamie, is there any truth to what Kendra says? Were you putting your assignments above hers?"

"I thought about that; I never meant to, but I guess I did. I have to say that I didn't handle the miscarriages well. I felt like such a failure. It is like everyone in this family can produce children but me."

"Let's not say everyone, the twins are still teenagers and one of mine isn't even in school yet. Just for the record it hasn't been easy for Katie and me to conceive. She miscarried our first child and again in between Jacob and Shana. Miscarriages happen without rhyme or reason."

"Yes, but you were with your wife when you found out you were going to be a father and then lost those babies. The first time I found out I was going to be a father I was in Russia; when I found out I wasn't going to be a father I was in Greece. The next time I found out I was going to be a father Kendra had already lost the baby because I was on a no contact mission. I was less than twenty minutes from her and couldn't tell her. I love my job but I see why Dad just slept around for so long."

"Are you saying you have no part in this divorce?"

"No, Phillip, I am not saying that. I know it takes two to make the marriage work just like it takes two to take it apart. I know I have some blame, but I also know that I didn't go to a divorce lawyer, file papers, and then begin to date someone new. Phillip, she is pushing the divorce because she and this guy want to get married. Kendra is pregnant. She is farther along than she ever was with one of ours. Where is the scotch?" Jamie asked as he looked for the bottle.

"I don't think a government agent on the verge of a divorce should be downing his Dad's fifty year old scotch. I know what your pay grade is."

"No offense big brother my pay grade is still higher than yours; now where is the damn scotch?" Jamie said.

"Jamie, drinking is not going to make this better."

"You are correct, Phillip, but at the same time it certainly will make me sleep better. The flight home didn't do a thing for me."

Phillip gave him the bottle and said, "All I can say is church is still at the same time; try not to be hung over during the service."

Tuesday morning left Lee and Amanda drained. They had just left the service for Emily and Amanda walked around Emily's estate. She seemed surprised when Lee told her they would be staying at her estate. Lee found her in the gardens and said, "This was Emily's first home when she moved from the states. She has a smaller cottage in the country that belonged to her husband; it was the house he grew up in. This one is the one they lived in the most. Working out of the MI5 London office; it made it easier for them to stay in London. When I first met her, she would bring me into these gardens and explain how being an agent was like her flowers. She explained that some flowers take longer to bloom; just like some cases take longer to solve."

"That sounds very much like Emily. Why do I think you didn't take her advice?"

"I took it; with a grain of salt, but I took it. The best advice she ever gave me though was to not let you get away from me, professionally and personally."

"Really, she said that? When did she tell you that?" Amanda asked taking his hand in hers.

"On the Sydney Whitsett case when we turned your house upside down."

"It only took you another year to say anything to me?" Amanda asked.

"Well, as someone very special told me that when you talk about love you have to be patient."

Lee leaned in close to kiss her and as he reached her lips Emily's lawyer came out to the garden, "Mr. and Mrs. Stetson, I need to see you in the study if you don't mind."

Lee looked in Amanda's eyes laughing. As they walked back toward the house Amanda swore she heard Lee say under his breath, "Not funny Melrose; not funny at all."

"Lee, did you say something?"

"Just talking to Billy again; about his sense of humor where our love life is concerned." Lee said as they laughed.

Setting in the study, Amanda sat next to Lee and held his hand as a few other people entered the room. Amanda didn't know any of the other people although Lee knew a couple of them. Amanda and Lee sat for nearly half an hour as the lawyer discussed the different endowments Emily had left to her favorite charities, mostly in the arts and theatre sections. Finally, the lawyer faced Lee and Amanda and said, "There is a tape that Emily recorded for you two. It has a personal message for both of you. Now if you all will excuse us while I continue with Mr. and Mr. Stetson." The room cleared of everyone but the three of them as Emily's face appeared on the TV behind the desk.

"Lee and Amanda, my darlings, it is so nice of you to come. I didn't want our final meeting to be this way but as they say the curtain must come down at some point in the night. I will make this short, sweet and to the point. First off, Amanda, no tears, I have had a wonderful run in this life. Lee, when she does cry, as I suspect she will, hold her close and love her harder. Amanda, you do the same for Lee.

I have never had children of my own, so you and Amanda are it Lee. My children, I am leaving you the rest of the money in my estate as well as this home. My husband left the country home to his family but this home, the one we had together, is now yours. Remember I love you both and know we will meet again." They watched as Emily blew a kiss to them as the screen was fading black.

Silently they sat there and then at the same time looked at the lawyer and said, "She left us this house?"

"Yes and the remainder of money from her estate."

"Remainder of her money, the way I heard what you said that was set up into endowments for the arts." Amanda said.

"No, what I said was a portion of her money was set up for that. The money she left you and your husband will be wired to you in America into your account as soon as you set up the banking transaction with me."

Lee asked, "Not that it is important but how much money are we talking about?"

"After the current rate exchange, the transaction should place approximately five million dollars in your account or accounts."

Lee looked at Amanda and then at the lawyer, "Did you say five million dollars?"

"Yes, Lord Farnsworth was very good at investing. He was already worth millions before marrying Lady Farnsworth. She has supported the arts for a several years but the money her husband left her has just been sitting in an account collecting interest. She lived off the interest."

Lee and Amanda just sat in shock at the news of their inheritance from Emily and what it meant for their family. They went to bed that night knowing that when they arrived home the following evening that their life was going to change in a big way; they just didn't know how big that change was going to be.

Jamie looked over at the lawyer. He had gone to court on Monday and heard the judge make his last decree and all that was left was the signing of the papers. It was eight a.m. on a Wednesday and his marriage was over. He sat looking at his signature. He looked up to see Kendra standing there; with nothing left to be said or done he handed his lawyer the papers and walked out of the office, ignoring her attempt to talk to him as he entered the elevator.

Jennie arrived at her house and went to make the final touches on her parent's room for their return. She was bound and determined that if London had not brought them together, her little room of romance would. She had plans to stay at Phillip and Katie's that night so when her parents came home and saw the room they would have an uninterrupted night of romance.

Just as she finished, she got a text from Phillip saying that he would be late to pick her up. Katie's flight was delayed and running behind. "Not a problem; can I go for a run then?" she texted back to Phillip. "A short one," was Phillip response.

Jennie returned from her run knowing she was in trouble for being gone longer than she was allowed to be. As she got closer to the house she noticed his truck wasn't in the driveway, she knew she was safe.

"Hey, Jennie hold up, is Coach King here?"

Turning toward the voice she said, "Not now, but he should be soon. Can I help you with something?" She asked as she turned to open the door and walk in her house.

"As a matter of fact you can." He said as he walked in behind her and grabbed her from behind.

Jennie began to struggle from his embrace but was having a hard time. ''What in the hell are you doing?"

"Jennie, don't fight me, the first time is always the hardest."

Fear gripped her as his meaning became clear in her mind. His hands reached up from her waist for her breasts. She continued to struggle and as he flipped her to face him. "This would go a lot smoother if you didn't fight me."

"You don't know me very well then, because I love to fight." Relaxing slightly in his arms she gave him the impression of submission. He moved closer and she raised her knee to make contact with his groin but he blocked it and slapped her across the face; knocking her to the floor. Jennie began to crawl away only for him to pull her back to him, tearing her top from her she felt something in her right shoulder pop. She screamed for help but knew that where their house was located no one could hear her. She could handle this she told herself, this is what your dad trained you all those years for.

Matt was across town with his grandmother having dinner when he suddenly felt sick. "Matt, are you okay?" Dotty asked.

"I am, but I don't think Jennie is." Matt stood and called the house; there was no answer. He tried her cell phone; it went straight to voice mail. He dialed Phillip next, the connection was bad and they couldn't understand each other. His last attempt was with Jamie.

"Jamie King, what can I do for you?"

"Jamie, are you near the house?" Matt asked.

"I am at the office now. I can be there in about an hour. Why?"

"I think Jennie is in trouble." Matt said.

"She is at Phillip's tonight, why do you think she is in trouble?"

"I don't know just a feeling." Matt told Jamie. Jamie knew all too well what the twin's feelings with each other were.

"I am getting ready to leave; I will go check on her. Where are you?"

"I am having dinner with Grandma."

"Okay I will call you when I know something." Jamie hung the phone up and paid his bar tab. He hated lying to his brother but he didn't think it was a good idea to tell his younger brother he was in a bar trying to get drunk; which he didn't think worked.

Phillip tried calling his Grandmother back but the reception in the airport was terrible that day. He was waiting on his wife's plane so they could go and pick up Jennie. She had a romantic surprise waiting for her parents and he wanted her out of the house before the 'renew of love' fest began. He looked up from his phone to see his parents walking toward him. 'What are they doing here?' he thought the closer they got to him.

"Phillip, what are you doing here?" Amanda asked as she hugged her oldest son.

"I was just about to ask you them same thing. Your flight wasn't due to come in until later tonight."

"We were able to get an earlier flight. Why are you here? Where are your sister and brother?"

Phillip looked around hoping that Katie would just magically appear. "Well, Matt is with Grandma having dinner. Jennie is at the house waiting for me to come and get her after Katie and the kids' flight gets in. It was delayed but I thought it would have been here by now. Jennie is going to kill me if you two get home before I get there to get her."

Lee looked toward his wife and then at his son and said, "Do you care to enlighten us on what you mean by that?"

Phillip looked at his Dad and said, "She is setting the house up for romance to the extreme. She is making a romantic dinner for you two. She found some old records, set the mood, and she is waiting for me to get her so you can be surprised. She wants to believe that it was worth it; so was her effort worth it?" Phillip asked.

They smiled at him and in unison answered, "Yes, it was worth it."

Jennie fought her attacker at every turn. He reached for her again while pinning her beneath him. She flipped him off her and brought her hands to his face as she clawed at him. He pulled her back to him; tearing the rest of her running outfit from her body. "I knew this was going to be fun, Jennifer. You are a fireball."

Rearing her head backwards and making contact with his nose she said, "Then you are really about to love me forever you son of a bitch." She reared her head backwards making contact with his nose for the second time; blood splattering over her back. He laughed as he pulled her ponytail and pulling her closer. He placed his hand between her legs and he thought he had her broken.

She still had a fight in her as she reached behind her and pushed her thumb in his eye. He screamed out and pushed her forward to the floor. He was done with the foreplay he turned her to him and before she knew what was happening he plunged hard into her small body. The pain was unlike anything Jennie had ever felt. He was too large for her body; she screamed out, "Daddy! Help me!"

"Your Daddy can't help you now just relax and it won't hurt anymore." He continued to push in and out of her against her protests. She continued to try to get away from him. He picked her face up and kissed her; sticking his tongue in her mouth. She bit down and he back-handed her; the last thing she remembered before passing out was seeing the family picture broken just out of her reach, then everything went black.

Matt couldn't sit still, he was pacing in his grandparents living room, driving his grandmother insane. "Matthew Lee Stetson, will you please sit down."

"Grandma, Jamie should have called back by now."

"What makes you think something is wrong with your sister?" She asked.

"I just know; I can't explain it." He picked up the phone and tried the house phone again only to get the machine again. "Damn it, Jennie, pick up the phone." He yelled at the machine.

Jamie sat on the side of the road as the police officer walked toward him. He knew he was about to be busted for speeding and if this was a ball busting cop a DUI.

"Excuse me; can I see your license and registration?" The officer asked.

"Yes, of course Officer." Jamie handed over the requested information as well as his Federal Identification.

"Agent King, do you know how fast you were going?"

"Yes, I was driving about ten miles over the legal limit. My brother called me and he felt like my sister was in trouble and I was going to check on her. She isn't answering her cell or the house phone, which if you know anything about a teenage girl, that is practically unheard of."

The officer thought for a minute he had heard a lot of wild stories from people when he stopped for them for speeding; the only problem was he smelled alcohol.

"Have you been drinking, Agent King?"

Jamie knew better than to lie, "Yes, I have officer."

"Can you please step out of the car please?"

Jamie stepped out of his car then proceeded to begin and fail the roadside sobriety test. Jamie was taken into custody and booked on DUI charges, while his parents, brother, and sister in law reached the house. Lee was explaining to Phillip and Katie about their new home in London. Lee opened the front door; his breathing stopped as he saw the house torn apart and his daughter nowhere in sight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Lee opened the front door; his breathing stopped as he saw the house torn apart and his daughter nowhere in sight. Within minutes of entering the house Lee, Phillip, and Amanda began searching for Jennie. Katie kept the kids outside with her, to keep them from getting scared, while calling the police. Phillip went to the kitchen, dining room, and back yard; Amanda went into the study all the while checking closets and under the desks. All she could think of was that if Jennie was home during the invasion that Jennie knew to get out or hide. If Jennie had gotten out; why wasn't the police already here? Amanda thought as she continued on upstairs after Lee.

Lee ran through the upstairs of the house yelling out his daughter's name, all the while praying that when they found her she would be alive. The first room he came to was Matt's, she wasn't there. He ran into her room and found it looked like it always did. He went to his room next and stopped in the doorway; he saw her. She was on his side of the bed, curled up, and holding his pillow. He heard the sirens outside as he yelled out, "I found her!" He walked slowly toward the bed where she laid with a sheet over her naked beaten body. He noticed the bruises on her back and legs that were uncovered. He fell to his knees in front of her, controlling his anger, as he took in the sight of her swollen, beaten, and blooded face. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow.

"Jennie, it's Daddy; can you open your eyes for me? Jennifer, open your eyes for Daddy, please baby." Lee pleaded trying to get a response from her. "Jennie, please open your eyes. Daddy is here now; Jennifer, please."

Amanda came in the room and cried out at seeing the bruised body of her daughter. "Lee, is she…?"

"She is breathing, but I can't get her to open her eyes or respond to me." Lee explained. What happened next played out in slow motion to Lee. He was moved away from his daughter as she was being assessed and tended to by EMTs. 'When did they get here?' He thought. He went to stand next to Amanda, who was watching the scene in disbelief. Holding on to each other a police officer walked up to them and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Stetson, can you come with me please I need to ask you two some questions?"

They followed the officer downstairs and before they walked outside Lee looked at the state of his house and knew that whatever may have occurred here, his daughter fought back. He knew that with every ounce of life in him and whoever did this was going to need more than a band aide to feel better.

"My name is Detective Kane, what can you tell me about what happened here today?"

"Nothing, we came home from a trip from London, England to find our house turned upside down and our daughter beaten." Amanda answered; she knew they had to ask questions but she could tell Lee wasn't in the mood for those questions. She saw the rage in his eyes and knew he just wanted revenge; they both did.

"Why were you in London?"

"A very dear friend of ours had died; we were at her services." Amanda said.

"Who was watching your daughter while you were out of town?"

"Her two older brothers, Phillip and James King; Phillip works as a teacher at her school and James is a Federal Operative."

"Do you know where they were at the time of the attack?"

"Are you accusing my sons of doing this to their sister?" Amanda questioned.

"Not at all; I am just trying to establish the events of the day. I am only trying to get all the information I can to help find who did this to your daughter and why."

"Well, I, I am not real sure about Jamie's schedule today; I have been out of the office."

"You are a Federal Agent as well?"

"Yes, as well as my husband. Now, Phillip said that school was on an early out; that means they released at eleven-thirty. He had meetings after school and then went to the airport to pick up his family. We arrived while he was waiting for their flight and we all drove here together."

"Do you know how your daughter got home today? Could this attack have possibly been related to any cases you or your son is currently working on?"

"No." Lee said. He wanted to go be with his daughter not standing here answering questions he had no idea about.

"Do you know of anyone that would want to hurt your daughter?" Lee laughed at that question. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stetson, do you find this amusing?"

"Do I find this amusing; no, just the question. My daughter is the walking personification of a contradiction in terms where a teenage girl is concerned. She has never had a boyfriend. She has never kissed a boy. She has never even indicated that there was a boy she liked in that way. She loves to fix her hair, wear make-up, do her nails, her favorite color is pink, she loves dresses, she is outgoing, she doesn't hide her opinions, and she will run your ass over on a track field while having the best landing in gymnastics. She is a perfectionist. Her life is run to her will; she loves to play football with the team at school when her brother allows it, she knows three different forms of martial arts and has a black belt at the highest level in all of them; including Krav Maga. She has drop kicked a football player for making rude comments to a friend of hers. She doesn't play by the rules; I am having a hard time wrapping my head around how someone bested my daughter enough to make her look as bad as she does, but I am also wondering what that person looks like now. My house is torn to pieces and my daughter is barely alive; yes I am sure there is someone out there that she pissed off enough to want to hurt her but I have no idea of who would be able to do what they did to her; while she was conscious." Lee walked away from Amanda and Detective Kane after his rant just as the EMTs brought Jennie out to load her in the ambulance. "You can ride with her if you like. She still hasn't regained consciousness. We will be starting an IV drip, is she allergic to anything?"

"Penicillin; Amanda, follow us. I am riding with her." Lee shouted over his shoulder.

Amanda nodded and looked at the detective and said, "Can we finish this later?"

"Yes, I have to go to the hospital to talk to the doctors and your daughter when she is able to talk to us."

Phillip took Katie and the kids back to their house before heading to the hospital with his mother. "Can you continue to try and get a hold of Jamie please oh, and call Grandma to let her and Matt know what is going on?"

"I can do that; I will get a sitter and be there as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too." Phillip gave his wife and kids a kiss before he left.

The ride to the hospital wasn't that long but it seemed to be taking forever for Phillip. It seemed if there was a red light he was hitting it. Sitting at one of the lights he looked over at a tow truck loading a car onto the flatbed, "Damn it, Jamie! What did you do?" He said under his breath; hoping his mother didn't notice.

"Phillip, who could have done this; when Jamie came home did he mention any problems on the case?"

"Mom, I don't think this has anything to do with why Jamie came home. He came back early because on Monday he had a court date to sign divorce papers. Kendra went through with it. He is taking it really hard."

"I know how he feels. I know it didn't seem like it to you boys, but I was devastated when your father and I got our divorce."

"I thought you filed the papers?" Phillip asked.

"I did; but just because I was the one that filed and started the process, that doesn't mean that it didn't hurt or bother me any less than if your father had."

Phillip sat and thought about what his mother had told him and he knew it was true. He remembered how she would talk on the phone and then cry for days after talking with his father.

"Have you ever thought about divorcing Lee?"

"No, never, not once; I told myself that if I ever married again, it was going to be for the long haul. I had to know in my heart and soul that this was someone that was going to last the test of time with me. If you hadn't noticed I am not always that easy to be around. Lee asked me at the craziest point in our lives; but I knew Lee and if he was asking it wasn't some fly by night proposal. He knew I had you boys and mother; we wouldn't be starting out with nothing, we had baggage."

"Jamie, Grandma, and I were baggage?"

"No, you guys were just ready-made; the baggage was Lee's past and mine too since I am being honest. I was going into a marriage with a man whose reputation filled four black books and I had a failed marriage on me."

"Did you say four black books?"

"Yes, I did and I think I would have only known that fact because of a case where I was helping contact some of those women."

Phillip braced himself for his next venture, "Mom, you said that when Dad asked you to marry him, you were being held against your will."

"Yes, that is true, why?"

"Did that man hurt you like Jennie has been hurt?"

Amanda sat for a few minutes before answering that question, "He drugged me, he hit me, he messed with my mind, and yes he touched me. He was going to sell me to people that would rape and humiliate me. When I got out I wanted to see you and your brother so bad, but while I could explain the bruising; I couldn't explain the nightmares. Granted they didn't last as long as I thought they would, but I made sure I was in therapy to help me through it."

"So, what your saying is that you know what Jennie is going through and she will be okay?" Amanda heard the guilt in his voice. She had heard it before as Lee blamed himself for her own abduction.

"Phillip, this isn't your fault." She said trying to console him.

"I was supposed to be with her. If I picked her up before going to the airport she would be fine."

"You don't know that. You don't even know when the attack happened. If she was at home while you were still at school; what's to say you wouldn't have walked in on it or after it happened anyway."

"I know she was fine when I got to the airport. I texted her as soon as I got there after finding out about the delay in Katie's flight. She asked if she could go for a run. I told her she could go for a short one. She had followed all of your rules; I thought it would be fine."

"Phillip, what time did you tell her she could go for a run?"

"I have the text still on my phone." He said as he handed her the phone. Amanda looked at the phone and read the messages between her children. Her mind went into agent mode and began coming up with a possible time line of events. It made her even angrier when she realized how close they were to stopping the attack.

"You said that she could go for a run at four fifteen. Knowing your sister she changed clothes and was out running within five minutes. A short run for her, if she is paying attention, is about an hour. The night she got grounded she ran for almost two hours. Let us just say she actually followed your directions then that puts her back at the house at five. If she didn't I would say five forty-five at the latest. Our plane landed at five-thirty and Katie's landed at five-fifty. She would have had to be home by then and the attack had to happen as soon as she arrived home."

"I know as a teacher I should know the answer to what I am about to ask, but how in the hell do you know all this from looking at my phone?"

"Setting a time line for events of what happened. Depending on how long the attacker was in the house and with your sister depends on how close or far away we were from walking in or stopping the attack all together."

"Mom, the downstairs looked like a hurricane blow through the house, furniture kicked around, pictures broken, and blood everywhere. She had to have been attacked downstairs, but she was up in your room when Dad found her. How did she get there?"

Amanda looked at Phillip as he parked the car and answered the only way she could, "I have no idea. I don't see her attacker putting her in our room, unless it was to rub it in our face." Closing the door she continued as they walked into the ER of the hospital, "unless, she was able to move and went where she has always gone to feel better or safe."

They saw Lee pacing as they walked in and Amanda walked over placing her arms around him to try and get him to calm down. "Lee, what is going on with Jennie?"

"I don't know. The minute we got here the doctors took her and the police told me to come out here. She never responded to me in the ambulance either. I kept talking to her to let her know I was there; I got nothing from her." His arms tightened around Amanda as he buried his head in her neck.

Phillip sat in a nearby chair where a few minutes later Lee came and sat next to him. Phillip looked at his Dad and said, "Mom thinks she has a time line of the attack from the last text that Jennie sent me." Phillip tried to be brave, not break in front of his Dad but as he saw his grandmother and youngest brother walk in he lost it. Dotty and Lee both put arms around him and Matt walked over to his mother.

"How is she? Is it really bad?" He asked.

"We don't know yet. When we found her she was unresponsive and badly beaten."

"Was she raped?" He asked in a hushed voice.

She went to answer as Detective Kane and Dr. Jackson came out to talk to them. Dr. Jackson began, "Mr. Stetson?"

"Yes, right here." Lee stood and placed his arm around Amanda as they stood with the doctor. The others came closer to hear the doctor. "How is our daughter?"

"She is still unconscious. She is stable. We would like to start her first round of antibiotics to fight any possible infections. Her right shoulder was dislocated, we found evidence of seminal fluid on her legs, vaginal trauma as well, all consistent with rape. She will more than likely sleep the rest of the night; while she is here she will need to receive a total of two rounds of antibiotics. We do need your permission to administer the medicine as well as an IV version of PREVEN."

"What is that?" Lee asked.

"Lee, sweetheart, that is known as Plan B or the morning after pill."

"The, um, morning after, uh, pill?" Lee felt his stomach drop.

"Mr. Stetson, it is a necessary medicine; although we need your permission to administer it to your daughter as I said before."

"Yes, give her whatever she needs." Lee spat out before he ran to the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach. Amanda and Dotty sat in chairs holding each other, crying. Phillip and Matt just sat quietly.

"I want to see and be able to hold my daughter now!" Lee demanded as he walked back into the room.

"The nurses are cleaning her up…"

"I don't care; I want to see my daughter now!" Lee was beyond reasonable at that point. The doctor took a firm stand and said, "I understand that, Mr. Stetson. Jennifer will be in her room in a few minutes then you can be with her all you want until she is released; until then I suggest you sit down, deal with the fact that your teenage daughter has been raped, and figure out how to help her. Our hospital phycologist will be by and available to your daughter as well as your family while she is here. Now if you don't mind, I am going to get your daughter's medication ready."

Lee watched as the doctor walked away and as he turned he saw Detective Kane standing by. "Mr. Stetson, we have everything we can get now. Here is my card; I would appreciate it if you would call me as soon as your daughter is awake and able to talk to us. The sooner we talk to her the sooner we can identify her rapist."

"What if she doesn't know who it was that raped her?" Amanda asked; wondering now if the detective was right and it had something to do with their jobs.

"It will make our jobs harder but with the evidence from the house; I have a feeling she knew this person."

Matt looked up and said, "What do you mean you think she knew the person?"

Lee looked at his son and said, "When I entered the house, there were no signs of a break in; that means your sister let the person in on her own. She would only do that if this was a person she was allowed to have in the house." Lee said his next statement with a reality that didn't set well with him, "We all have to come to terms with the idea that this person was someone that any of us would have allowed in the house and trusted around her."

Two hours later, Amanda sat on one side of her daughter's hospital bed as Lee sat on the other holding her hand. Phillip and Katie sat at the end of the bed and Matt was in a corner next to his father as a nurse came in to take and chart Jennie's vitals. "Our rape crisis counselor is here if any of you want to talk to her about anything. Her office is just down the hall."

"Thank you." Amanda said. Lee stood up and stretched his back, "How long is she going to sleep? Why won't she wake up? I feel so helpless." He began to cry and Amanda walked over to him and put her arms around him in an attempt to comfort him in some small way. "If she would only wake up, Amanda I would feel at least a little better."

Before Amanda could answer him a voice from behind them had all four adults in the room looking in the direction of the door. A tall blonde entered and came closer to the bed and as she did Amanda swallowed hard at knowing who the woman was, just not why _Randi Baby_ would be there.

Lee stood up and said, "Randi; what are you doing here?"

"I am one of the hospital psychologists specializing in rape victims. I am here to help you and your family through this time while in the hospital."

"As you can see our daughter is still unconscious so you aren't really needed at the moment." Amanda said. Lee placed her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"My role here is not only for your daughter but for the whole family. I am here if any of you need my assistance."

Amanda answered very curtly, "I can tell you _no one_ in this family needs anything from you."

"Amanda." Lee said.

"The cake lady, I remember you. You obviously remember me and I guess in those days I didn't make the greatest impression, I am sorry. I really do want to help your family and your daughter during her stay at the hospital so please when she wakes up just call my office and I will come back." Handing Lee the card Randi turned and walked out of the room.

"That woman is not getting anywhere near my family." Amanda said as she watched Randi walk from the room.

"I can't believe how rude you were to her. You have treated KGB agents nicer than that."

"Yes, well, those KGB agents never slept with you, now did they?"

"You are going to hold that against her? She is very good at what she does; Jennie will need her."

"I am sure you remember how good she is at what she does but…"

"Stop it you two; if you want to fight about someone Dad obviously dated before you two were married than take it outside. If you two want to do what is best for my sister in that bed then stop you're damn fighting. She has had enough of it and so have I." Matt stormed from the room as Lee and Amanda stood and watched him leave. They then both looked over at Phillip and Katie when they stood and followed Matt out of the room.

"He is right you know. She has heard us fight for months and now is not the time for us to fight." Amanda said.

"I know, but I can't believe that after all these years that Randi would upset you like she did." Lee said taking and pulling Amanda onto his lap.

Laying her head on his shoulder she said, "This is embarrassing to admit, but it wasn't Randi that upset me. It was the fact that she is a phycologist that caught me off guard. I never pegged her to be very bright."

Smiling Lee had to ask, "Is that because she is blonde or dated me?"

"Yes." Amanda answered.

He laughed at her answer. "Why does it always surprise you that I used to date women with smarts? I find intelligent women very sexy. Why do you think I love you so much, Amanda?"

"You can't tell me that all the women from your past are bright, smart, and intelligent women. I have met some."

"No, some of them are exactly what you think of them, most weren't though. It is hard to get roared up by someone if they have nothing to contribute to the conversation."

"Daddy," The tiny voice that croaked out from the bed had them both coming closer to their daughter's side. Taking her in their arms Lee and Amanda held her close as all three began to cry.

"Jennie, you're okay now sweetheart. No one is ever going to hurt you again."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Amanda sat up and looked over at her daughter and husband as they slept in the early morning hours. She left the room to go and get coffee and as she did she saw the door to Randi's office open. Randi sat at her desk looking between the computer screen and the file in front of her. Amanda knocked on the door and waited as Randi looked up.

"Mrs. Stetson, what can I do for you?" She asked as she indicated for Amanda to sit down.

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I am sure you are very good at your job; I was just…"

"Surprised to see me walk into your daughter's room last night; I can imagine." Randi said.

"Still it gave me no right to treat you the way I did. I still get a little insecure when I see someone from Lee's past."

"Do you see women from his past often?"

"Not as much as when we first started seeing each other. I used to tease him about his past but that was just my way of dealing with it. See, when we got past the whole friendship and partnership of our relationship and made an honest effort to be together; Lee knew what he was getting into with me. I had two teenage sons and an ex-husband trying to regain a relationship with his sons. It was hard for him with Joe around then; he was always so worried that Joe and I would get back together."

"Do you think he didn't trust you?"

"I think he just knew that with the history of being married and having children together he didn't understand our connection."

"Let me ask you, how do you think Lee will process what happened to your daughter?"

"He has already showed his rage and anger. He blew up at the detective and doctor last night. Then Jennie woke up for a little while last night. We just held her while she cried and we cried with her. She didn't say anything except for asked for Lee."

"Does he have a bigger connection to your two children than all four of them together?"

"Lee has a strong connection to all four of the children. Jennie is the only girl, though, so all the guys have treated her like a princess; that is even her nickname. Katie gave the twins the nickname prince and princess when they were born. From the time she was born she and Lee have had a strong connection. She is a Daddy's girl to the max. Lee taught her everything she knows about fighting, guns, as well as how to dance and what to expect from a boy on a date."

"In my report, it says she was found in your bedroom. Is that where the attack took place?"

"Not from what I saw of the house; it looked like to me that she had enough strength to go to the only place in the house that she felt safe."

"What are you thinking and feeling right now?"

"Ironically as much as I want to kill him with my own hands; I just want justice for my daughter."

Amanda sat and continued to talk with Randi for over an hour and Randi was patient and let her talk as the conversation would jump subjects. Randi knew that was just a way some handle stress; when the main subject matter was getting to hard, a person will switch the conversation to deal with the stress building. A knock at the door made both women turn as Randi went to open the door; coming face to face with Lee. The look on his face made Amanda have cause for alarm, "Lee, what is it?"

"Jennie is awake and is asking for you."

Looking at Randi, Amanda smiled and said, "Thank you, we will let you know when Jennie is ready to speak with you."

"It was nice taking to you, Mrs. Stetson." She said smiling at the couple as they walked back to their daughter's room.

"Mom, where did you go?" Jennie asked as Amanda walked in and noticed that everyone but Jamie was there.

"I went to stretch my legs and get some coffee. How do you feel this morning?"

Jennie looked at her brothers and said, "I hurt. I feel like the whole defensive line just dog piled me to get the football back."

Walking and sitting next to her, Amanda said, "I know you have been through a lot, Sweetheart, but a Detective Kane will be by to ask about what happened to you. No one can be in the room with you. Are you able to tell her what happened when she gets here?"

"Yes. I remember everything." Jennie averted her eyes from Phillip and her father. She was afraid for them to find out who did this.

"Jennie, do you understand everything that happened to you?" Phillip asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, fellas, she needs to talk to the police first."

Matt sat next to his sister and held her hand. She looked at him telling him, "Don't look at me like that. It wouldn't have made a difference."

A soft knock on the door before Detective Kane and her partner walked in. Lee didn't remember him from the night before; but Lee knew him. Lee stood and said, "Carey, I thought you moved to Vermont?"

"Stetson, I came back about two months ago. Is she able to talk to us?"

"Ask her yourself; she is awake and alert." Lee moved out of the way and saw the scared look on his daughter's face.

"This is Detective Kane and Detective Carey; they want to talk to you about last night. All of us will be right out in the hall. If you need us; just press your call button and the nurse will get us."

Looking at her father she said, "Can't Mom please stay with me?"

Leaning over her he whispered, "I know this is hard for you. You have already been so brave; I just need you to be brave a little longer and then after you talk to the police here, Mom and I will talk it over with you."

Nodding she said barely above a whisper, "I'm not afraid to tell what happened; I just Mom with me when I do."

Lee looked at Kane and asked, "She said she wants to talk to you; she wants her mother with her."

Carey answered, "Mrs. Stetson, you can't say anything during our questioning."

"I understand." Amanda said sitting next to her daughter and holding her hand. Lee kissed his daughter and wife as everyone walked from the room.

When the room was cleared Detective Kane sat in the chair next to Jennie and asked, "Hi, my name is Ashley Kane. Can you tell me what happen yesterday at your house?"

"School let out early. I got a ride home with my neighbor Jacob and his sister Chloe. Phillip and Jamie were still at work. I went home to finish a special dinner and surprise for my parents; they were coming home from a trip. They went to a funeral for a family friend and I wanted them to come home to find a nice, relaxing surprise. Phillip sent me a text letting me know that he had gotten to the airport to pick up Katie and the kids, but their flight was going to be late. I asked since he was going to be late if I could go for a run. He said I could go but it had to be a short one."

Jennie looked away from the detective and toward the door. "Jennifer, what happened next?"

Her voice softly spoke the next words carefully. While she wanted to tell the detectives what she wanted to know she was still worried she would get in trouble. She broke the rules.

"I broke the rules Phillip gave me. Phillip is my track coach, in his training he says that a short run shouldn't last longer than thirty minutes. For short runs he prefers us to do harder stretches for shorter distances to help change your routine and burn some extra calories if we need to."

"Jennifer, you are doing great. You said you broke the rules; does that mean your run lasted longer than thirty minutes?"

She nodded her head. Amanda sat watching her and thinking she was so like her husband; giving the facts and losing emotions. She hadn't cried or shown any emotions and that worried Amanda. She was fearful her daughter was shutting down.

"I had just gotten back to the house and was relieved when I didn't see Phillip or Jamie's car. I was already grounded and I didn't want to get grounded for longer."

"How long had you been home when the person that did this show up?"

"I had just entered the gate and was walking to the door when he asked if Phillip was home yet. I told him that he should be soon and as I opened the door, I asked if I could help him with anything."

Amanda sat listening, waiting, and wanting to ask the only question that mattered.

"Jennifer, you knew this person?"

Looking at her mother through the one eye that wasn't swollen shut she said, "He ripped my top and dislocated my arm, I fought back. I jammed my thumb in his eye and broke his nose."

"That is great, Jennifer. That will help identify him when you tell us who he is."

Jennie looked at the door again as if she was expecting someone to walk in at any minute. Amanda knew that look; even she was supposed to be quite she had to speak up or the detectives were going to lose Jennie all together.

"Jennie, look at me."

"Mrs. Stetson, please. We said you had to not speak."

Ignoring Carey she said, "Jennie, you have to know that your Daddy and I are very proud of how you defended yourself. We know that you did absolutely everything you could. You are not in any trouble and no one will be mad at you. The only question I need you to answer right now is you said who did this was someone you knew." Jennie nodded at her mother. "Jennie, if it will make it easier for you I will leave, but you need to tell them who did this." Amanda stood to leave when Jennie grabbed her hand, "Coach Anderson, he is the one that attacked and raped me."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Jamie King left the impound lot after spending the night in the drunk tank of the local police station. Jamie had opted to slept it off and pay his fines instead of calling someone to pick him up. He knew his parents should be home by the time he reaches the house. Jamie picked up his phone, "Damn it, dead," he said as he threw the phone on the passenger seat.

Jamie pulled into the drug store to pick up some aspirin and ginger ale. He didn't know what he was dreading more the nightmare hangover he was sporting or facing his parents. He had been staying at their house with his sister and brother; he wasn't ready to go back to the apartment he had shared with his wife, correction ex-wife, just yet.

He turned the corner and bumped into a man that was wearing dark sunglasses and had scratches down his faced. The man was buying antiseptic and bandages. "Sorry, man, wow no offense I thought I looked bad this morning." Jamie said to the man. The man looked up and recognized Jamie, but didn't think Jamie knew he was, he just said, "Yeah, never tell the little woman that she has gained a few pounds since getting together. It will never go well."

"No, no it doesn't. Hope she forgives you." Jamie walked on down the aisle and found the items he needed before going to the counter to pay and head home.

Pulling in the driveway, Jamie saw yellow police tape and Agent Bower standing outside the door, "Bower, what is going on? Where is my family?"

Bower had orders not to let anyone in the house until Lee had gotten there. "Jamie, Scarecrow will be here in a few minutes. He will explain everything to you."

"Let me in." Jamie demanded.

"I can't, no one goes in until Scarecrow gets here." Bower held his hand up to keep Jamie from entering; Jamie pushed it out of the way. Jamie began to worry more; especially since he was on his way home last night to check on his sister because Matt had a funny feeling she was in trouble.

"What happened?" Jamie demanded not seeing Lee come up from behind him.

"Jennie was attacked last night. She is at the hospital. Where were you?" Lee asked.

Jamie turned to face his Dad. The look on Lee's face was the same one he would have when either he or Phillip did something wrong and disappointed him when they were growing up. Jamie looked Lee in the eyes and said, "I was in jail last night."

"Jail; what in the hell were you doing in jail?"

"I was pulled over for speeding, but the officer smelled alcohol; I failed the roadside test as well as the breathalyzer. I was booked for DUI and driving fifteen miles over the speed limit."

"Did they pull your license?"

"No, but I go to court in three weeks over this."

"Were you drunk and speeding?"

"Yes, Matt called and said he thought Jennie was in trouble. I was coming to check on her. I was about three or four miles from the house when I got pulled over."

Lee looked at his son asking, "What were you thinking, Jamie?" Then he asked, "What time was that?"

"I would have to look at the ticket and discharge papers but I think it was around five-thirty, why?"

"Bower, let us in." Lee walked in the house before Jamie seeing the room as torn up as it was the night before.

Jamie took in the scene in front of him asking, "Is she okay?"

"She hasn't said a whole lot since she talked to the police this morning. She told them who attacked and raped…"

"Raped; she was raped?"

"What in the hell did you think I meant when I said she was attacked?"

"Whoever did this is not going to get away with this; I will kill them!" Jamie said as he began to pace around the room, stepping around the over turned items that laid everywhere.

"Get in line; Jamie, the police have already gone to arrest him. It won't be too hard to prove the case; Jennie did a hell of a job on them. They have his DNA, the bastard didn't use a condom; Jennie scratched down his face on both sides, not to mention she blinded him by jamming her thumb in his eye and breaking his nose. He should look like hell this morning."

Jamie looked at his Dad, never mentioning the man he just saw at the drug store. "Did she say who it was? Did she know?"

"Yeah, Phillip's assistant coach, Steve Anderson, the police have gone to pick him up about an hour ago."

"They won't find him at home."

"Jamie, how would you know that?"

Jamie looked at Lee and said, "Dad, I may be hung-over and feel like shit, but what man in their right mind would hang around after raping the daughter of a Federal Intelligence Officer?"

"Not a very smart man in my opinion, Jamie. I know one thing for certain, the cops better find him before I do?"

Jamie looked at his Dad and thought, 'I might just beat you to this one, Scarecrow.'

Two days later Jennie was set to be released. She was talking with Randi when her parents came to pick her up that afternoon. Lee and Amanda had chosen not to let her know that the police were having a hard time finding Steve Anderson. They knew they had to let her know before they took her home. They saw the sign on the door that said a session was in progress so they took a seat outside Jennie's room.

"Jennie, your parents will be here to take you home today; are you ready to go back there?"

"Of course I want to go home, why wouldn't I?" Randi loved that Jennie seemed so sincere with her answers; it brought a smile to her face.

"For a number of reasons, I would think that it would be hard for you. It is the place where you were raped. You said that your twin brother wasn't talking to you because he thinks you are lying about who raped you. I would say that would be very stressful."

"Did you really use to date my Dad?" Jennie asked.

"Yes, very briefly. I was a very jealous person back in those days and it seemed like every time I went over to his place, your mother was there. It was about a month after I stopped seeing your Dad that I met my husband. I have a great husband. He makes furniture."

"What was my Dad like when you knew him?"

"Younger, I also assumed he dated other women at the time, but if he was with you; he made you feel like you were the only one. I think that was why I was so jealous of your mother. He told me they just worked together, but I was younger then too, so I guess I didn't believe him."

"You didn't think a man and women could be co-workers and just be friends?"

"No, I didn't." Randi said as she looked at her watch. "Jennie, it is time for me to go, I want you to call me if you ever want to talk. I can come to your house, your school, or you can come here."

Randi had learned enough in the last two days that when she didn't want to talk about something she answered a question with questions of her own. It was her defense against what happened to her. Opening the door Randi saw Lee and Amanda waiting. Walking over she said, "She is still holding things in; I suggest you let her talk at her pace. Like any trauma; people heal differently. If she doesn't want to talk don't force it; if she does don't stop it; let her get out what she has to say."

"Got it; thank you Randi." Lee said as he gave her a hug and small kiss on her cheek. "That is what I do, Stetson. Amanda, if anyone wants or needs to talk, I am always available." Extending her hand and taking Amanda's in hers; Amanda met her with a smile.

Walking in their daughter's room, they saw her bed empty but they heard Jennie in the shower. Amanda knocked on the door to let Jennie know they were there and she was setting her clothes on the sink for her after her shower.

"Okay, Mom thanks."

"She sounds okay." Lee said.

"How is she supposed to sound, Lee?" Amanda asked handing him his coffee.

"I don't know; I don't know how she is going to react to hearing about the police not being able to find Anderson. Even my sources haven't been able to find him and I have a lot of sources."

"I know you do; we both do. Lee, if one of your sources find him before the police; what are you planning on doing?"

Looking at Amanda in the eye he said, "Didn't I teach you not to ask questions that you didn't want to know the answers to?"

"Lee, you can't take matters in to your own hands. What good is it going to do to have Jennie's father in jail?"

"Jail is only for those who get caught." Lee said with a smile.

"Lee Stetson, I swear you better not…"

"Better not what?" Jennie asked as she emerged from the bathroom wearing the clothes Amanda had brought her with a towel on her head.

"I better not cross your mother in Scrabble tonight."

"Duh, Dad, Mom is the best at that game. That would be like trying to beat Philip at Monopoly, Jamie at chess, or Matt in…" Jennie stopped talking when she mentioned Matt. Lee knew that it bothered her that Matt didn't believe her.

Amanda turned from the hurtful look that crossed her daughter's face. It killed her to think that just as her and Lee were gaining ground, beginning to get closer again; Matt and his sister were being torn apart. She hoped they could recover soon.

"When do I leave this place?" Jennie asked.

"Once you finish getting dressed and the doctor comes and clears you for take-off."

"Are we going straight home?" Jennie asked.

"Is there some other place you want to go first?" Lee asked.

"I need to go get my assignments that I have missed from school and see if I can make up two tests."

Lee smiled knowing this was a diversion; Jennie hated school as much as he had when he was in school; just because she was a straight A student didn't mean anything. She was at school for the social aspect of it; not the educational part.

"We have already done all that for you, Sweetheart. Is there any place else you want to go then?" Amanda asked Jennie.

"I need to go to the store and get things for cookies and bars to bake for Thanksgiving next week."

Lee said, "Well, let's see if we can find that doctor; I think I am about a quart low on homemade cookies." Smiling he left the room to find the doctor.

On the way home Jennie was fuming because the doctor told her she couldn't go back to school or normal activities until after her Thanksgiving break. That was over a week. She wanted things to be normal but it wasn't possible when people kept telling her to hold off and wait. Waiting was not one of her stronger suits; she would wait, she would hate it, but none the less she would wait for what she just didn't know.

When they arrived home everyone was at the house waiting for them. Jennie stepped out of the car carrying one of the bags from the store into the house. From the kitchen she could see her friends Joey and Mandy along with her niece and nephew playing tag in the yard, "May I please go outside with them?"

"Sure you can, just don't overdo it." Lee said.

Effraim, Francine, Joe, and Carrie came into the kitchen as Jennie ran outside to be with the other kids.

"How is she doing?" Francine asked.

"Avoiding the hard stuff just like someone else I know and love." Amanda said as she bent to kiss Lee on the cheek.

Joe walked over and placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder and asked, "Does she know yet that Anderson hasn't been picked up?" Jamie looked up from the phone at the mention of Anderson's name and then went back to his conversation and said, "Yep, I got it. I will be there in twenty minutes. Hey, Mom, sorry about dinner I may be a little late. I love you."

"Jamie, I thought you were off work for the next month pending your outcome of court?" Lee said.

Picking up is keys he said, "I am, why?"

"Then where do you need to go in such a rush? Your sister just got home?" Lee said.

"From what I can tell she is trying to also climb a tree with a dislocated shoulder and playing with her friends. I will be back; I just may be a little late." Without waiting for any other questions he ran out the door and yelled into the backyard, "Watch the tree climbing, Princess, you are still under a doctor's care."

"Leave me alone, Jamie. What do those quacks know?" She said as she blew her brother a kiss and went back to climbing the tree, trying to tag Joey in the process.

An hour later, Jamie sat in his car watching the hotel room. He wasn't surprised to find the hotel in one of the worst areas of Virginia. His snitch better be enjoying the fix he had gotten him for the information, because if this information was wrong it would be the snitches last fix; Jamie promised him that much.

The Stetson/King home was filled to capacity when Jamie walked back in three hours later. He found Jennie, Mandy, and Joey at the kitchen table playing cards. He gave his youngest brother a high five while he bent and gave the girls a kiss each on the cheek. "Where is Matt?"

Jennie's smile faded as she said, "Any place in the house that I am not at. He still isn't talking to me."

"He will come around, it is hard to believe the worst of someone that you looked up too when they have fallen from grace." Jamie knew all about that, in more ways than one.

Jamie left the kitchen and headed to where he heard the adults talking. It seemed he had walked in on a big debate over a case his parents were discussing.

"…no, I think she is being more than fair; more than I would ever have been. She made the right decision to take the case but she knows that keeping it a secret was the cause of our problems. Amanda and I do not function together, in the field or at home, by keeping things from each other."

"Why did you keep all this from Lee, Amanda?" Joe asked. "It just doesn't sound like you."

Amanda sat quietly before she answered; wanting to choose her words very carefully. "Joe, I need everyone to understand. A very large part of me wanted to tell Lee from the beginning, but a lot of these cases that are coming up; Lee has the final say. Being the senior agent at the time of the case being solved, he gets the letters of intent. This man held me against my will in order to get to Lee and kill him. He wanted to sell me. He had complete and total control over everything I did. He made the choice of when I slept, when I ate, when I went to the bathroom, and he touched me in ways I don't ever want to think about again. This was my final stand against him; to show him that he may have bent my will a little but he never broke me. I went on to live a strong and fulfilling life. I married my best friend, I had more children, and now I have grandchildren; I survived and he is still behind bars. I get to live while he just gets to merely exist. I was wrong in keeping it from Lee, but I can't change the past. We are moving on from it."

Jennie walked in at that moment and everyone looked at her. She was beginning to hate the looks of sorrow on her families face. Phillip looked the worst. She hated that he felt responsible the most. She decided she was going to find a way to make it up to him. It wasn't his fault.

"I just came in to tell everyone thanks for coming by tonight for dinner, but I am kind of tired and think I am going to go to bed now. I love you all." She walked around the room and gave everyone a hug before heading to bed. She stopped at Matt's room and knocked on the door waiting to open it until she heard him say it was okay. Opening the door she stood in the doorway and asked, "Can I come in?"

"No, whatever you have to say just say it from there." He said.

"I just wanted to say I love you and goodnight." Tears were quietly sliding down her face when he turned away from her. She never saw his tears as he said, "Anything else, Jennie?"

"DAMN YOU, MATTHEW LEE STETSON, GO TO HELL!" She stormed from his room toward her room slamming the door. Every head turned in the direction of the stairs as she screamed at her brother and Amanda stopped Lee as he started to go see what was wrong. "No, Lee, they have to come to terms with this and help each other. This is the first time in their entire life they have been on opposite sides. She is healing, but so is he; along with all of us."

"I know but…"

"No, Scarecrow, this is their fight, not ours. When they need us we will be here, but let them try on their own first."

Hours later when everyone had left and the house was dark, Jennie walked quietly down the stairs toward the kitchen. At the foot of the stairs she looked around the living room. Everything was back where it belonged. Nothing was out of place, nothing was turned over, and even the pictures were in new frames. She sat on the floor in the exact spot where her life was changed forever. It was the spot where he got on top of her and took what was hers to give away. She touched her face where he hit her before she passed out. She still wasn't sure if it was the hit or the force of him entering her body that caused her to pass out. She never hated anyone in her life before that moment.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" She let out a scream that brought the whole house down the stairs. Lee and Amanda ran into Matt as he stood watching his sister sit on the floor screaming and crying. Amanda moved past them and went to hold Jennie only to have Jennie crawl away from her. Jennie crawled to a corner screaming, "GET AWAY FROM ME! DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

"Jennie, you are okay now, it is Mom, Jennie." Amanda went in front of her and tried to touch her again; Jennie screamed as if she was being burnt.

"NO! I SAID NO!" Jennie looked at the three faces in front of her. "I SAID NO! I SAID STOP! I DID EVERYTHING YOU EVER TOLD AND TAUGHT ME!" She said looking at Lee.

"I know you did, Jennie. I know you did everything you could." Lee said in a strangled voice as he began to cry with his daughter. Amanda was able to get closer to her during this rant and said, "Jennie, go ahead and yell. Get out as much pain as you can."

"He wanted Phillip but he wasn't here. I fought back. I scratched his face, I broke his nose, I fought hard; it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. I was like a doll in his hands. It was like he knew every move I was going to make. Daddy, he blocked everything. I couldn't get a head of him for anything. I swear I tried as hard as I could. Please, Daddy, please don't hate me like Matt does."

Matt had been sitting listening to his sister finally break down about her attack and as he last words were said it hit him how unfair he was being to her. "I don't hate you, Jennie." Matt said but it was almost missed by his sister's uncontrollable tears. "What?" She asked.

"I said I don't hate you. I hate him. I hate that you were alone. I hate that no one was able to help you. I hate that it didn't matter that it happened at home. I hate thinking that it would have happened no matter where you were. I hate knowing that he was waiting for God knows how long for you to be alone. I hate knowing that you have a family that is better equipped to protect you under the worst of disasters and it still happened. I hate knowing he is still out there and no one can find him, but you, Jennie, I could never hate you. You are the only person who knows what my heartbeat sounds like."

Matt sat next to his sister and held her while she cried and took every punch she dealt until she was quiet and fell asleep on his shoulder. Matt sat holing her until he was certain she was asleep and looked at his parents and said, "Is it wrong for me to want to choke the last breath from this man?"

Lee looked over at his son and said, "Like I told Jamie; get in line."

"With all the contacts you two have you still can't find him?" Jennie began to stir and Matt rubbed her hair to calm her.

"He could have gone anywhere. We have been looking for him and so have the police."

Amanda looked at Matt and asked, "Why have you been so distant with her to make her think you hated her?"

"I would look at her bruised face and know he did it. I see her arm in this sling and know he did it. I hear her crying at the hospital and I know he did it. I know that I didn't do anything."

"You are fifteen what could you have done?"

"I knew she was her at the house by herself. She asked if I would come and help set up her welcome home romance package. I told her to stop acting like a girl and realize that you two didn't need romance you just needed time. She laughed and said that it was no wonder Kristi didn't want to go out with me. I was as fun as a box of stale animal crackers."

Lee picked Jennie up and carried her to her room where he pulled the covers over her. Sitting on the chair next to the bed he watched her as she slept. The bruises on her face were healing and she only had to wear the sling a couple more days. He knew that when they took her to the doctor on Monday he would be able to tell more about the internal damage and healing time on that. He knew they had more nights of sleeplessness and nightmares.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

On Wednesday morning Lee rolled over and turned the alarm off. It was the day before Thanksgiving and they had Birol's hearing to go to. He rolled back over to place an arm around Amanda kissing her neck to wake her.

"You better be careful, buster, I have a real jealous husband; he might not like you kissing me that way."

"Then I guess I better leave before he finds out I spent the night making love to his wife." Lee whispered on her skin as he kissed along her neck.

Amanda rolled over to look him in the eyes and she said, "Last night was wonderful."

"Last night was only the beginning for us; today we put him out of our lives completely."

"I know; then we just have one monster lurking in this house."

"He isn't going to last long either. Since being home, Jennie has slept longer each night; she has fewer nightmares, it is all moving in the right direction."

"We will have a lot to be thankful for tomorrow won't we?"

"Yes, Mrs. Stetson, we will. Now before your husband gets home I think we need to shower, together, and get our day going properly."

"My, my, my, aren't you the feisty one this morning?" Amanda said as she followed Lee into their bathroom.

"I have six months of feisty built up; you are lucky you are even walking this morning." He said smiling.

Jennie came down to the kitchen and made herself some cereal. Jamie was sitting at the table drinking coffee and she asked him, "Why do you stay here instead of your apartment?"

"Why; don't you like having me around?" He asked.

"I love having you around; with your job it doesn't happen very often." Jamie looked at her and she thought she saw a look of sadness come over his face. "Jamie, did I say something wrong?"

"No, Princess, you didn't. It just makes me think about a few things differently. Speaking of work, I have to get going."

Looking at him funny she said, "You aren't allowed to work right now; I heard Mom and Dad talking about you being suspended."

"I thought you knew all about American agents; we work even when we aren't working, just ask Dad and Mom." He leaned over and gave her a kiss before putting his coffee cup in the sink.

"Jamie," he turned and looked in her direction as she said, "stay safe and don't do anything stupid."

Smiling he said, "Now would I do something like that?"

Jennie was sitting by herself when her mother walked in and began making a cup of coffee. Amanda walked over and kissed Jennie on top of the head and asked, "Who were you talking to, sweetheart?"

"Jamie, he said he was going to work."

"Not at the Agency; he is suspended right now."

"That what I told him and he said that an agent is working even when they aren't, is that true?"

"Yes, that is true. I need you to hurry and finish your breakfast because you are going with your father and me today."

"Why; don't you have that hearing thing today?" She asked with a mouth full of cereal.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, yes we do but everyone is at work or has an appointment and we aren't…"

"Letting me stay by myself; I don't blame you."

Looking at her daughter she said, "It isn't because we don't trust you; you understand that don't you?"

"Mom, it is okay, really I don't want to be left alone yet. I even hate to admit this but those crazy doctors was right to keep me out of school; I still tired at the strangest times and sometimes I really hurt and just need to lie down."

"I know; it seems like one minute you are fine and can run a marathon then the next minute you can't keep your eyes open. You sleep but it never seems to be long enough or even restful, you are constantly waking up, nightmares happen in the middle of the day, and you never feel fully rested."

"Exactly, did the man you are going to see rape you?" Jennie asked. It was a question she wanted to ask ever since the night that she and Matt listened outside the study.

Amanda looked at her daughter and said, "Yes, yes he did."

"Did Daddy ever know?"

"Not until after we were married and I was pregnant with you and your brother. I had some nightmares that Birol escaped and came after you children; all four of you. When the nightmares started back your Dad asked me why I would have nightmares again knowing that Birol was locked up. I finally told him after about a week of nightmares. He felt horrible and blamed himself. I told him that blaming himself was getting him nowhere. It wasn't going to change the fact of what happened. Just like with you."

"With me; he blames me?" Jennie asked as she placed her bowl and spoon in the sink looking at her mother in confusion.

"Sweetheart, no, no one blames you; we all blame ourselves for being here to protect you like a family should do."

"You and Daddy were out of town, Phillip was at work, Jamie had to see his lawyer before going to work, and Matt was helping Grandma out with some things. I was the one that let him into the house when I knew I shouldn't because no one was home. I don't blame anyone but Coach Anderson and my trust in him."

"That is the differences in our attacks; to be honest I expected to be raped; you never saw it coming."

Lee walked in the kitchen and looked at the pot of coffee and then the time; they were going to be late if they didn't get going. "Jennie, honey, we need you to go with us today so could you please hurry and get ready?"

"I was just going to get ready, Daddy." She leaned over and hugged her mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Amanda hugged her back and said, "Go on, we can talk later if you want." Amanda watched as much as Lee did as Jennie practically skipped from the kitchen up the stairs.

"What were you talking about that out her in such a great mood?" Lee asked.

"I guess knowing that your mother really does know how you feel makes a difference in how you look at her."

"You told her about Birol?"

"Yes, she asked and I wasn't going to lie. I think it helped."

Jennie came down the stairs a few minutes later then the three of them got in the car and began the drive to the parole hearing for Addi Birol. The fall weather was beautiful that morning as they drove. The conversation flowed nicely as Jennie listened to her mother and father discuss the hearing and possible outcomes. All three were oblivious to the outcomes of the day.

**THREE DAYS EARLIER**

_Jamie King stepped from the beat up rat trap of a car he was driving. He was dressed in sweatpants and a black tee shirt. The baggy sweat jacket he wore over his clothes and dark shades hide his face and gave off the impression of just another junkie at the Motor Pool Lodge. He walked up and knocked on room 441 and waited for his target to open the door._

_The second the door was opened Jamie pushed Steve Anderson back into the room and punched him in his already broken nose from Jennie. "Hey, know what that was for?"_

"_Is that all you have?" Anderson said as he charged at Jamie. Jamie was ready for him and moved out of his way and slammed him into the door. While Anderson shook his head Jamie came in from behind him and took out his knee from behind. Jamie pushed him to the floor and placed his foot on his neck saying, "Give me one good reason to let you live?" Steve Anderson struggled to get free from his captor. He was having trouble breathing with the foot on his neck but somehow he was able to get Jamie off his neck and went to crawl to the door._

_Jamie grabbed his arm and jerked him back. Jamie heard the pop as Anderson's arm dislocated. Anderson tried to scream in pain but nothing came from his throat. Jamie laughed and said, "Funny how you can still breathe when pressure points take out your voice. You aren't going to win." SLAP Jamie backhanded Anderson again. He landed on his back and Jamie could tell that he was almost done for._

"_A little different when your opponent isn't a little girl, right?" Jamie said then stood over him and said, "I know about the other girls too, Steve-O, I know about all of them; one as young as ten; not in your favor that I know about them." Jamie pulled a needle and rolled the sleeve up on Anderson's arm, jabbing the needle in and watched as the clear liquid emptied out of the syringe._

**TWO HOURS LATER**

_Jamie stepped out of his fancy sports car, dressed in his finest suit then headed into the Agency for a review meeting with his supervisor. He was hoping he would change his mind and allow him back at work until after his court date. Jamie walked in and was waved on through by the receptionist agent in the Georgetown foyer. He made the quick trip down the elevator to the Field Section Chief's office. He stopped just inside the door as he saw his mother sitting at her desk._

"_Mom, what are you doing here?" He asked._

"_I work here; at least for the time being. What are you doing here?"_

"_A quick review before my court date; I'm hoping to come back to work." He looked at her and hoped she couldn't tell he was a nervous wreck. The next few hours and days were important to be handled carefully._

"_If it were up to me; I would let you. It isn't like some of us haven't been stopped for DUI and spent the night in jail. I just think he is making an example out of you. I have to go; I am helping with a class today." She leaned in and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek and turned her nose up as she said, "Jamie, when did you start smoking?"_

"_I wasn't; I was around some friends that smoke."_

"_If you just came from a bar, that will not go over well in there; James King." Amanda warned as she left her son._

_Jamie watched his mother walk away and turned to walk in to the Director's office; breathing a sigh of relief._

**PRESENT DAY**

Lee held the doors open for Amanda and Jennie as he pushed the lock on the doors. "Daddy, are you sure it is okay for me to be here?"

"Yes, you will be in a waiting room; completely safe from the inmates. The hearing, once it gets started, shouldn't take more than an hour. When your mother and I are done; we can leave. We don't have to hang out for the verdict because we will get a copy for our files at the Agency."

He held out his badge as did Amanda. The control officer looked at Jennie and she said, "I don't have a badge, Sir, I just have them." She said pointing to her parents.

The officer knowing Lee and Amanda both just laughed at their daughter and waved her in; wondering what happened to her to have her arm in a sling as well as to have the fading bruises on her face. "Well, I guess if they can validate your status I guess I can let you pass this one time, Miss."

Smiling in her Stetson way she said, "Why thank you kind, sir." She gave him a mock bow.

"That is enough; come on." Lee said at the exchange between his daughter and his friend; laughing at them both.

Lee set her in a chair in a waiting area and said, "Stay put; we will be back as soon as we can."

"Okay." Jennie sat and took off her jacket. She took out a book that she had brought with her to read while she waited. She knew her dad said it would be at least an hour. As she read she began to rethink the big jug of water she drank on the way to the prison. She set her book down and went to look for a bathroom.

Walking into what she thought was a bathroom she froze when she saw the man sitting at the table with his hands and ankles shackled to each other and then also to the floor. He had dark curly hair with streaks of grey through it and his eyes were black as night.

"Sorry, I thought this was the bathroom." Jennie turned to leave when she heard him reply.

"Obviously it is not a bathroom, little Stetson."

Jennie turned to look at him and asked, "What makes you think that my name is Stetson?"

"You are the spitting image of your father; except for your nose that is your mother's. What happened to you?" He asked gesturing with his head toward her sling and face.

"I was in an accident." She lied; she thought it would be okay to lie to him. "Are you the reason my parents are here today?" She asked slowly moving toward the chair that sat on the opposite side of the table across from him.

"Yes, I am Addi Birol, little Stetson."

Jennie sat looking at the man in front of her; knowing what her mother had told her about him that morning. Since hearing the conversation with her parents and then her mother she was curious about him; this man in front of her.

"You look like you have a question for me, little Stetson. Ask me anything you want; I have nothing to lose."

"Did it matter that it was my mother or would have any female agent have worked for you?"

He seemed taken aback by her question, but she never looked away from him. Her eyes never left his as she waited for her answer. He seemed to want to wait her out to make her ask him again. She didn't; she just sat looking at him.

Finally he gave in to her stare and for torments sake he said, "No, it had to be her; it could only be her. No other female would have invoked Scarecrow's anger enough to come after her. His office told him to stand down. With your mother still with me there was no way he would stand down. He came for me with full force; I just retaliated."

"Retaliated? Is that what you call rape? Rape is retaliation for a man who was only doing his job to stop people like you from killing innocent people."

"Do not get into something you aren't old enough for, little Stetson. I wanted your father dead and if I had to run through your mother to do it I was going too. I wanted your father's head on a stick."

"Most people that meet my father want to run him through; raping a woman to do it and feeling no remorse; you are real piece of work." Jennie stood to leave as she reached the door she had one more question for him.

"Was she just a faceless person to you when you raped her?"

"Yes, her cries meant nothing; it normally doesn't for a rapist."

She looked at him and with her eyes wide he continued, "It is the pain and knowing that our control cannot be over turned at that moment. She was a fighter, your mother."

Jennie nodded her head, turned to leave before she opened the door Birol said, "Did you fight back too, little Stetson, against your rapist?"

"I hope they put you under this building." Jennie slipped from the room finally finding the bathroom. When she came out she found her father leaning on the wall waiting for her. She knew the look on his face and she knew she was busted.

"Did you mean to go into a room with one of the two men on this planet that I would love to put a bullet in?"

"No, Sir."

"Jennifer, how can you be so smart and do something so dumb?"

"I'm not dumb; don't say that." She looked down at the ground at her father's harsh words.

"Jennie, I just mean that what in the world possessed you to go in that room?" He asked pleading with her to look at him.

Blushing she said, "I really thought at first it was the bathroom. It didn't have a window on it like most of the other doors."

"Okay, once you saw that it wasn't; what made you stay in there?" Lee asked walking with her back to the room she was supposed to be in.

"I went to leave and he called me…"

"What, what did he call you?" Lee said his eyes flaring in anger, but Jennie could tell his anger wasn't at her.

"He called me little Stetson. He said I looked just like you."

Hugging her close he told her, "That is why we get into trouble young lady; because you and I are so much alike. We really give your mom a hard workout keeping us safe and inline. Where was the guard at in the room?"

"There wasn't one inside or outside; yet another reason that it was a bathroom."

"Jennie, what did he say to you while you were in there?"

"He just answered my questions about you and mom."

"Jennie, there are so many thing in this world that your mother and I have worked so hard to keep from you. The one thing we never kept from you was the danger of the job and the people we deal with. All the things we showed you to help you and your brothers stay safe goes out the window when you walk in a room with a terrorist and have a Q and A session with him."

"Daddy, I was raped in our home by a person I would have trusted my life with. What was a man chained to the floor and himself going to do to me? He couldn't touch me, he couldn't harm me, I know what kind of monster that man was and I faced him. What does that tell you?"

Lee looked at his daughter and said, "That you are too much like me. What if he wasn't chained?"

"I don't like what if situations; yes, he could have been but he wasn't and that is the important thing to remember. Are you going to tell mom?"

"Your mother is in the hearing room giving her testimony; she already knows though. She is really mad."

"I am never going to ungrounded am I?"

"You might get paroled before Birol does." Lee said and for some reason the look on his daughter's face was priceless. She looked so dumbfounded with her eyes wide and her mouth gaping open. They both busted out in a gut busting laugh and were still laughing when Amanda walked in.

"I am glad to see that you two find this situation so hilarious. Jennifer, I want you to…"

"Mom, it is okay. I understand what I did was wrong and I am sorry. I just wanted to know what he thought when he raped you."

"He thought nothing; I was nothing to him, it was all to get to your father."

"I know and I will take my punishment; but in all honesty, I am not sorry I got to talk to him."

"Why is that, Princess?" Lee asked.

"Because when you face a monster you are no longer afraid of them. So, when they find Coach Anderson; I won't be afraid of him anymore. That man in that room is a million times worse than the Coach; he doesn't scare me any longer." She said smiling at her parents from ear to ear in that Stetson way, dimples and all.

Dinner that night was pizza and bread sticks. The entire family was sitting at the table when the doorbell interrupted them. Lee stood to answer the door to find Detective Kane and Carey standing there.

"Detectives, please come in. Have you gotten any more news on Anderson?" Lee asked.

"Yes as a matter of fact we did. A homicide detective called us in on a case he caught this afternoon. Anderson is dead, Mr. Stetson."


	8. Chapter 8

Author Notes: The song at the end of this chapter is Blessings by Laura Story.

**Chapter Eight**

"Are you sure it was him?" Lee asked.

"Yes, because it was a dead body, homicide was automatically called in. It looks like he overdosed on heroin three days ago. He had a do not disturb sign on his door, but after so many days the maids had to get in, finding him they called the police."

"Where was he found?" Lee asked.

"He appears to have been staying at the Motor Pool Lodge out on Arlington West Lake road. It is a very popular spot for junkies to sleep or get their fix. We just wanted to come by and let you know personally that this case is over for our end. We can't prosecute the dead; that is in God's hands now."

"Yeah, thank you, Detectives. Would you like to tell Jennie?"

"No, I think we will leave that to you, Lee." Carey said.

"Okay, thanks."

"Lee, is everything alright?" Amanda asked walking into the room and seeing the detectives as they were leaving out the door.

"Yeah, honey, everything is fine. Let's go back into the dining room."

Lee and Amanda sat back down at the table and Katie saw the look in Lee's eyes and said, "Lee, what is wrong?"

Lee grabbed a hold of Jennie's hand and said, "Nothing everything is going to be fine. They found Anderson today at a sleazy hotel; Jennie he apparently overdosed on drugs, Coach Anderson is dead."

"Can I please be excused?" Jennie asked and then with her mother's permission left the room to the quiet of her own room.

Jamie sat rubbing his hands and not looking at his parents. He knew that if they found out he had killed Anderson; they would turn him in, son or not.

Everyone sat around talking about how Anderson could have been so close and none of their contacts had found him; only to have him overdose.

"That doesn't sound like Steve at all. He was terrified of needles." Phillip said.

"Are you sure? Because you sure as hell didn't think he was a rapist when you hired him, did you?" Jamie fired at him.

Phillip fired back by saying, "Jamie, really you think I don't have enough guilt about this man? I brought him here, around my family, my children, Jennie, my students for God sake. Do you not think I did all the required background checks on him?"

"I'm just saying your background checks let something fall through the cracks."

"Look Jamie, I am a high school teacher. I don't have Interpol on my side to run background checks as efficient as you and mom do. My computers don't work like yours."

Jennie had come back down and sat at the door listening to her family fight about who was at the most fault in her rape. It wouldn't be the first time they fought about it. Even Jennie those first few days blamed her family for not being there to protect her. She realized that it wasn't their fault, it wasn't her fault, but it was Coach Anderson's fault. He was the one that did this and he was the one that was causing her family so much pain. He was dead now; he couldn't hurt them, didn't they realize that?

"Stop it, all of you. I am tired of this man running our lives. He is dead and he can't hurt me or anyone else ever again! I just want everyone to understand it was no one in this family's fault that I was raped. Not one of us said, 'Hey, Steve, take her.' No one said that. I am alive, I am healing, and I will live a very happy life if you people let me. He was sick, he needed help, and now he is dead; let him stay that way." Jennie left the room again going back to her room and falling asleep.

Thanksgiving really was a day to celebrate at the Stetson/King home. Everyone was watching the football game when the doorbell rang and Jennie went to answer it. Kendra King stood on the doorstep about to walk away when she saw the door open and saw Jennie.

"Kendra, what are you doing here?"

"Is Jamie here?"

"Yes, come in we are watching the football games. Dinner is almost ready, are you staying?"

"I'm not sure. Can you get Jamie for me please?"

Jennie walked into the family room and whispered in Jamie's ear. She wasn't sure if he would want everyone to know that his ex-wife was in the living room waiting for him.

"Kendra, what are you doing here?" He asked, his eyes looking at her rounded belly.

"Jamie, we really need to talk. I was wrong about a lot of things and I want to apologize. You have always given me what I wanted; except now."

His eyes went red, "What are you talking about? I gave you everything you asked for. You wanted a divorce, you got one, you wanted a baby, and well I tried to give you that."

"You did." She whispered.

"What do you mean I did? I know I did, but they didn't survive. We lost them."

"Not all of them." She said rubbing her belly.

Jamie stood confused questioning her with his eyes as he followed her meaning.

"That baby is mine?" He said shocked.

"No, this baby is ours. I never wanted a divorce; I wanted you to come home. The only thing I ever asked you for that you couldn't or wouldn't give me was you. Just you; the man I fell in love with all those years ago when you were going through Station One. I know your job is important; I was just hoping that I was too. Jamie, I never meant to hurt you, lie to you, but you have to know what you did to me hurt me too. I would have rather had caught you with different women; I can compete with them. I can't compete with the world."

"It was never a completion; I would choose you."

"You didn't choose me; you chose Russia, Greece, Italy, and Spain to name a few. You never chose me."

"I asked you to be my partner; you said no."

"I didn't join the Agency to go after the bad guys, but to help the real Agents catch them. I like the planning stage while you go do the action stage. Occasionally though I wanted the action at home, not on a long distance call. I never thought you would go through with the divorce; it never crossed my mind that you would allow it to happen."

"Kendra, it happened; I thought that is what you wanted. No more games, tell me what you want; what you really want." He said slowly moving closer to her, wiping the tears from her face.

"James Allen King, it isn't about what I want. It is about what I need and if you can give that to me."

"Okay, Kendra Leanne King, tell me what it is you need from me?"

"That is just it; I need you, our baby needs you; unfortunately the world also needs you. What do you choose?"

Jamie looked at her and placed his hands on her belly, feeling his baby move beneath his fingers. Jamie looked at her and said, "If my parents were able to balance family and espionage, then so will I? I want you and our child but I can't give up my job; I can just do both better."

"Then I have to ask you one more thing."

"What is that?" Jamie asked.

"How do you annul a divorce?"

"Like this," Jamie got on one knee and said, "Kendra King, will you do me the honor of marring me again, this time with our family with us?"

"Yes."

Amanda walked into the living room and saw her younger son kissing his ex-wife and noticed his hand was resting on a growing belly. She cleared her throat and said, "Am I sitting another place at the table or is this new divorce ritual I don't know about?"

Laying his head on his wife's shoulder he said, "Set another place at the table. Oh, and Mom, you are going to be a grandmother again."

Smiling brightly she said, "It is about time, these other ones are getting too big. Congratulations."

**ONE MONTH LATER**

December 24 came faster than any of them expected. Jamie and Kendra were getting married on Christmas Eve during an evening candle lit service. She was glowing in more ways than just from the candles. Lee had walked Kendra down the aisle and handed her over to Jamie.

The preacher spoke and said, "James and Kendra before we begin the service Jennifer and Matthew have a song they want to perform for you."

Matthew took his place at the piano and Jennie stood next to him. The music started then everyone heard Jennie begin to sing,

_We pray for blessings, we pray for peace_

_Comfort for the family, protection while we sleep_

_We pray for healing, for prosperity_

_We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering_

_All the while, You hear each spoken need_

_Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things_

Jamie took Kendra and pulled her closer as he heard his sister's sing a song he knew that his family needed to hear. Kendra was the only person Jamie had told about his involvement with Steve Anderson and she loved him still. She was his blessing in disguise.

'_Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops_

_What if Your healing comes through tears_

_What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near_

_What if the trials in this life are Your mercies in disguise_

Phillip held his daughter in his lap as his son sat next to his wife. This was his family, these were his souls to protect on this Earth. He also knew as he listened to his sister's words that he could fail. Katie leaned over and whispered, "I love you, Phillip King."

_We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear_

_We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near_

_We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love_

_As if every promise from your word is not enough_

_And all the while, you hear each desperate plea_

_And long that we'd have faith to believe_

Amanda pulled Lee close and held his hand. Looking out into the church her heart filled with love and peace. "What are you thinking, Scarecrow?"

"That you made all this possible for me." Lee leaned over and kissed his wife; knowing that their family was going to be okay.

'_Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops_

_What if your healing comes through tears_

_What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near_

_What if the trials in this life are Your mercies in disguise_

Jennie looked out into her family from where she stood and she saw they were getting the full message of the song. She saw the love on her families face as they listened to her words pour out of her soul. She needed them to finally be healed or begin to heal. She knew she still needed her family and she would never take that for granted every again.

_When friends betray us_

_When darkness seems to win_

_We know that pain reminds this heart_

_That this is not,_

_This is not our home_

_It's not our home_

_Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops_

_What if your healing comes through tears_

_What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near_

_What if the trials in this life are Your mercies in disguise_

The end of her song was nearing as she locked eyes with her father. She knew they had a special bond and she knew he would understand that these words for him as much as they were for her.

_What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life_

_Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy_

_What if trails of this life_

_The rain, the storms, the hardest nights_

_Are your mercies in disguise_

THE END


End file.
